Ai no Basket
by Sora Killua
Summary: Naruto has just entered his dream Basketball High School. One night he went to check it out and was met with a stunning player! Why did his heart thump with the mysterious raven? NauSasuNaru, aside GaaraNejiGaara, KakaIruk. A Naruto Basketball Romance Fic!
1. Chapter One

**Author's Notes:**

**Hello everyone. It's been a long time since I last posted a story, so I'm really happy about this one. It would be my third Naruto-fic by now. *Jumps up and down from excitement!*. I haven't really decided on how many chapters it will be, but so far, I'm planning on 8-9 chapz. We'll see how it plays along. And many thanks for my wonderful Beta, Missbip0lar for her assistance. Anyways, without delaying it any further, read and enjoy, I hope you like it.**

**Disclaimer: Naruto and all its characters have nothing to do with little old me, and I'm not gaining any penny from these ficz. Such a pity.**

* * *

Naruto stretched his right hand to open the big brown door leading to the basketball court. His sweaty palm was so eager to open the door that it took him a while to be able to turn the knob right. With each failed attempt, his nerves would end up flaring with excitement. He has finally done it, after busting his ass for three whole months in extensive training and studying, he had finally done it! Eyes glittered at the view in front of him; he stepped inside the grand court.

There was no one there, the polished floor reflected the lights above and an energized grin appeared on Naruto's face. He threw his back bag to one side and released the ball from the net it was wrapped in, it slipped from his hands to the refined floor. He started dribbling towards the net, the sound of the ball pumping to the ground and his hand while he moved, was melody to his ears. Twirling around himself he pushed his energy into his heel and jumped, scoring a loud slam dunk. It echoed with a bounce, before the ball could touch the floor again, Naruto caught it in his palms grinning like an idiot.

"A dunk so bad, it's my first time seeing it."

At the calm confidant tone, Naruto turned around to see just who had the nerve to look down upon three months worth of training. A tall, pale complexioned, black haired guy that seemed as if his hair was spiked by the mere wind, smirked down at him. Naruto glared.

"Alright then, if you think you can do better, here!"

He threw the red-orangish ball to his rude intruder, challenging him to do better.

The smirk turned into a confident smile and pale practiced fingers twirled the ball with their tips. "With pleasure."

At that instant, Naruto didn't know what happened; the only thing that his senses were able to pick up was the swift wind that blew past him and the sound of the ball as it whooshed inside the net echoing inside his eardrums. His eyes widened at the figure that delivered the ball, what speed was that? If he wasn't the person he was, then he wouldn't be able to catch the other's movement at all! His eyes met with those black ones and at that precise moment, Naruto knew the feelings of a squashed bug.

"And this is how you dunk."

The arrogance and superiority that radiated from the other made Naruto feel as if his insides wanted to puke. But at the same time, he felt a thrill run down his spine, this was it, this was why he wanted to join this particular high school. It had amazing players, amazing coaches and a hell of a record. Getting in was difficult, no, it was close to impossible for him with his grades, but spending every minute training his mind and body, had proved him right, and with difficulty, he managed to get in.

A challenging smile embarked on his lips, and he threw the ball back to the black haired guy.

"I'm not admitting defeat just yet. One on one, if you're able to score ten points then I'll admit it."

"Hn. And why would I want to do that?"

"Because you don't want to lose."

The blue orbs filled with determination, made a strange feeling run through the other's veins, his smirk returned to place.

"Alright Blondie, let's see what you've got."

With that they started a heated battle. Naruto had to direct all his focus on the ball, for the other's way of dribbling was that of an expert's. And damn that dribble behind the back, it was his weakness. He frowned, this being before him seemed like the type to like crossover dribbles done behind the back. But still he won't lose!

Naruto made every effort to steal the ball but the raven kept a tight defense, scoring at any opening Naruto forgot to fill. As the score began to rise to the other's favor, Naruto cursed and stripped from the heavy jacket that was limiting his movement. He stood with only his T-shirt on, in hopes that by this, his movement would lighten. But it didn't help much, for the other had stepped up his game, making it harder for Naruto to keep up, and by the amount of sweat his body was producing and with his stamina running down on him, Naruto's chances of winning were slim.

He lost count of how many times his face came in contact with the floor, but he didn't give up, he couldn't give up, because with every point that was going inside the basket, his nerves would fire up. Still, he knew there was an obvious difference in skills here and there was really no way for him to win this, so, his objective has changed, instead of winning, he wanted the other to remove his jacket.

Through their little challenge, Naruto noticed that the amount of sweat his body was giving off was three times heavier than that of the raven's. So, he directed all of his power to tire the other out. His mind counted the points and there were only three points left for this stranger to win, Naruto cursed, how in fuck's name was he to do what was on his mind?

"Tired already?"

The same annoyingly superior tone faced him, Naruto paid it no attention. "Just continue playing!"

"Hm, you asked for it."

His eyes were on the ball, and his defense was perfect, yet, how could the other slip away so easily, and make the ball fall in so elegantly, was beyond his comprehension. It was a three pointer, and so, he lost. The ball sounded at the ground reminding him of the massive difference between their two skills.

"Now, we're done."

The calm steps towards the door woke Naruto of his daze, and before he knew it, his legs were running after the other, trying to catch him before he walked out of the court.

"Hey! Wait up!"

The taller teen ignored the shout and stepped out of the court, into the cold night's air, he pulled his jacket closer to him to shelter his bones from the chill that came his way, but before he could take another step away, a mass of blond blocked his way and the face of the other came a bit too close to his. He wanted to move away but the grip on his jacket plus the sparkling blue orbs forbade him.

"What?"

"What's your name!"

"Huh?"

"Your name? Your given name, the name you were born with, what is it?"

The raven rolled his eyes. "I know what my name is, idiot. I just don't know why I should give it."

"Because I want to know it."

"And why would you want to know it?"

"Because I want to, now give it!"

The raven snorted. "This is the more reason why I shouldn't."

"Come on, it's just a name, not like I'll stalk you with it or anything!"

"Try saying that when your hands aren't hooked on my jacket. That would be more convincing."

Naruto felt his face heat up from embarrassment, he let go of the jacket and moved a few steps away, allowing the other some space. From his excitement, his body moved before his mind could, and he ended up giving the raven a suspicious feeling of him.

"Okay then, if you don't want to, then I'll give you mine. It's Uzumaki Naruto! You better remember it, 'cause I'll be the one who kicks your ass next time!"

The blond ran back to the court with that, apparently without his jacket, the cold has finally gotten to his bones. Black orbs watched him, their owner stood for a minute observing the shorter teen vanish inside, a smirk formed on his lips and continuing with his calm steps, he walked away.

"Heh, this year is going to be fun, Uzumaki Naruto."

* * *

Naruto released a moan at the alarm clock that refused to stop ringing, and drew his blanket over his head to reduce the annoying sound. His mind processed the motion that he should be getting up by now but his organs refused to obey. He had stayed up all night thinking about the strange guy who rendered him speechless with his amazing skills and strategies. But thinking too much about things and analyzing them was never one of his good points, so getting into unfamiliar territories caused him to sleep at dawn.

His second alarm began ringing, and the two alarms produced chaotic music aching Naruto's ears and making him jolt up from his bed annoyed. He glared at the two alarm clocks, but his eyes widened upon seeing the time. As if struck by lightning, Naruto flew to the bathroom, washed up, changed his clothes into his new school's uniform and finally, bolted out the door. The cries of his guardian for him to have breakfast faded into the background.

Naruto was more than happy to see the entrance gates of his high school still open. Using his flash memory, he remembered the location for his new class, and with no further delays –except the little break he made before bolting up the stairs– he continued running. Now, there was nothing separating him from the class inside except the wooden door, and Naruto didn't know why dread had suddenly started rushing inside his veins when he grabbed the handle to open the door. Cheering himself from the inside that there was nothing to be anxious of, Naruto slid the door open.

"Nice of you to honor us with your attendance, Uzumaki-kun."

Naruto's azure orbs shifted from the eyes watching the person who had so foolishly interrupted Kurenai-sensei's class, to the black haired teacher. He cringed at her hard bloodshot glare.

"I'm sorry sensei, I overslept."

"Overslept, eh? For your information Uzumaki Naruto, I don't allow students to oversleep in my class!"

Naruto wanted to argue that he didn't oversleep in her class but at his own house, still he chose to follow the warning aura his fellow students were giving him to keep his mouth shut.

"I'm very sorry, sensei. It won't happen again!"

The woman looked from the book she was carrying towards Naruto, and continued with her stern tone. "You bet your lousy scores it won't, and since it's the first day in school, I'll be a bit generous and let you off the hook, but don't make a habit out of it. Because I'm not as patient as I seem."

The glare told him everything he needed to know. And sweat dropping; Naruto nodded his understanding to her.

"Good. Take your seat now; it's on the back, beside Haruno Sakura."

An annoyed looking Sakura met his cheerful grin. He was glad that his long-time friend was accepted into the same high school as him, that way he wouldn't be so lonely on his first day, after all. Naruto started walking to his seat, ignoring the whispers and giggles that came his way. He had wanted his high school days to be filled with images of how cool he was, and wanted people to speak praises behind him as he walked the halls, with girls dying to be his girlfriends and guys envying him from head to toe. But looking at the faces of his classmates, he knew he needed a miracle to pull that one off now. Sighing, Naruto put down his back bag and sat on the wooden chair.

"Naruto, I can't believe you did that after I especially warned you not to sleep in!"

The hushed angry tone had him rub his head. "Sorry Sakura-chan, but I couldn't wake up, my body was too tired."

"Don't tell me you visited the court last night?"

He averted his eyes and smiled sheepishly to her.

"Naruto!" She sternly called. "I told you first years aren't allowed to go in there without permission!"

"I know, I know, but I just couldn't help myself, the desire was too great!"

"How did you even get in!"

"The door was open, no one was there."

"Do you know the amount of trouble you'll be in if you got caught?"

"Well, I'd think a lot, but I didn't get caught. In fact, I had a challenge."

"A challenge?"

"Yeah, there was thi-"

A piece of chalk found its way towards Naruto's head; making him clutch it in pain. His body froze as he turned so slowly towards the board and a flamed looking Kurenai glared daggers at him.

"Uzumaki Naruto, out!"

"But, sens-"

"I said OUT!"

Sakura looked apologetically at the retreating blond; since it was her that started the conversation, Naruto waved her apology away saying that it wasn't a big deal to get kicked out and walked away. As he stood outside, the thought of all chances of ever being cool flying out the window were once again reminded to him. Naruto sighed and looked around him, the halls were empty, and no one was walking, figures. Since everyone must still be in their classes. He looked back at the closed door and a grin plastered on his face. His teacher never said he isn't allowed to wander around, right?

Taking no time to rethink his decision; Naruto made his way to the spot where he felt his soul was buried in, the basketball court.

* * *

This time as he was about to open the door, a chirpy voice echoed behind him, stopping him.

"Hello there, can I help you?"

Naruto turned to see a guy with flowing black hair that reached the middle of his back and a nice smile. At the beautiful lilac eyes, his expression turned to that of pity all of a sudden, the poor guy in front of him was blind. Shaking his head at the silly idea, he gave his best smiles ever. After all, if there was a person in this world who knew how hard it was to get pitied on, it would be him.

"Umm….I'm thinking of joining the basketball team."

"Oh, a new member? Wonderful! What's your name?"

Naruto's smile widened at the kind male. "Naruto, Uzumaki Naruto."

"Alight Uzumaki Naruto, I'm Hyuuga Neji. A member of the team. Follow me I'll take you to where you can sign up your name for the tryouts."

The blond nodded and started walking beside him, he looked the other up and down, amazed at how wonderful the eye color was; degrading from dark mauve at the center to light lilac in the sides. And even though the other was blind, you could see a hidden life-force in there.

"Oh, watch out!"

Naruto grabbed the pale hand before the other could trip over the big rock before him and fall. Neji turned his eyes towards the freaked out blond, his brows knotted in confusion.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah, just fine."

"Thank God, it would be bad if you were to suddenly trip or something."

Neji's mind started to utilize what had happened before him, three seconds later, a smile spread on his face.

"Could you…be thinking I'm blind?"

"Huh? Umm….yeah?"

The raven broke out in a fit of laughter, bending to clutch his stomach at the hard laugh. Naruto felt his cheeks flush from embarrassment; and now that he looked the other more closely, he didn't have any cane in his hands guiding him, or a dog. And as he recalled, Neji was leading the way, how could a blind person be leading the way? His cheeks reddened more with each laugh that left the other's mouth, he was clearly mistaken. Naruto waited 'till Neji could control his laughter to stand up straight and speak with him.

"Sorry, sorry. It's just that it's been a while since someone mistook me for blind."

"Ummm…no, I should be the one apologizing. It's my fault."

"Then we are both even, since I laughed at you. And just to avoid any future misunderstandings, these are my own eyeballs, they aren't contact lenses."

"Yeah…I figured that part myself."

"Good," Neji released a final laugh then said. "Shall we go? Since you're planning to sign up, you have a long day ahead of you."

Naruto didn't know what the other had meant with his words, but when they got into the sign-up area, his eyes bugged out of their sockets. There was a long row of people reaching to the outside of the office.

"Don't tell me….this is the sign-up office?"

"Yep! Our basketball club is very famous, and thus a lot of boys want to join. The tryouts are hard as hell, only a few get accepted each year. Well then, good luck and do your best. I'll be rooting for you!"

Naruto sweat dropped at the row before him and at the cheerful smile his senpai in basketball was giving. With a sigh, he made his way towards the dreadful row. Knowing that he'll be stuck here for the rest of the day, and will most likely be yelled at by Sakura for skipping what's left of classes for that day. He began thinking of the time that he'll be able to hold another competition with that foreign stranger, and before he knew it, his nerves started getting excited.

* * *

By the end of that day, Naruto was both drained mentally and physically, the only thing that he was able to see when he got back home was his bed. He lay on it and tried to forget the pain and agony that went through his being that terrible day. His body had consumed all energy he had and soon, he fell asleep.

When he came to, his lights were all off and the sky has already darkened. Naruto read his clock and two in the morning looked back at him. He rubbed his eyes and went downstairs, his body already rested enough and no sleep was on the horizon. He found a piece of paper on the dining table from his guardian saying that if he wished to eat, then there is food in the fridge and he only needed to heat it up.

Not feeling the urge to eat anything right now, Naruto went back to his room, he opened his window and climbed to the roof, it was his wonderful secret place, where his thoughts would organize and he would make sense of things that had none. Naruto steadied himself as not to fall and come to sit on the edge.

The sky had as little stars as possible as he figured, but there were nights where you could actually make out a star or two. Sadly, the city's lights were controlling the air made it hard to spot any passing stars. Naruto smiled, even though the possibility of seeing any stars was lessening each passing day, he liked this town. It had cool air around it, the neighbors were nice, no one interfered in his guardian's way of life and most of all, it had his No. One basketball high school.

Speaking of basketball, the tryouts were only three days away; he needed to start practicing, because from what he'd seen, there were pretty good players in there. But the one that caught his eyes was a red haired guy, he was tall enough to pass as a basketball player, and had this feeling about him, Naruto didn't know how to pinpoint it yet, but he knew he wanted to make friends with this one, and that was exactly what he'd do.

Feeling the night's air getting colder, Naruto went down to his room. He ruffled beside his bed and got his basketball out; his mouth soon broke into a smile. Since that match with that strange raven, Naruto felt like he wanted nothing more than to play with him again. But, he had no name and because the other was wearing causal clothes, he didn't know if he was even with them in that school or not.

But, he was always one to be known for his positive thinking, and so, he believed that they would cross paths someday, no matter how long it takes, they will. Because they both loved basketball.

* * *

A yawn escaped Naruto's mouth and the girl walking beside him wrinkled her nose in disgust.

"At least cover your mouth, Naruto! That's common courtesy!"

"I gave up on that long ago, I yawn every two seconds," As to prove his point, another yawn escaped his mouth. He slouched. "I'm just so tired."

"Then sleep for heaven's sake!"

"Can't do that. There is only one day left, I need to prove myself."

"You could prove yourself without dropping dead."

Naruto covered his mouth at the third yawn as not to anger her any more. "No can do either. You didn't see them, Sakura-chan, those guys are amazing. It will take all I've got to prove that I'm on the same level."

"Well, it won't do you much good if you dropped in the middle of the tryouts just because you are sleepy."

"I know but, at night, I can't sleep, so I practice,"

"And you only get sleepy in class?"

"Apparently."

"Kurenai will kill you if you continue down this line. She has all eyes set on you as it is."

Naruto released a long sigh. "I know, but I can't give up now, I need to win this!"

"It's not a serious competition, just normal tryouts for a basketball club. And we are here, just give me a minute."

"You really don't understand, Sakura. It's a major event!"

The pink haired girl rolled her eyes at him then went inside the library, she had just finished the second book she had borrowed, and she was returning it to start another one. As far as Naruto knew Sakura, she was a bookworm, with perfect grades, perfect attitude and graceful body. In his sight, she was the perfect girl, too bad he wasn't her prince charming.

Sakura stepped out holding a different book than the one she had before.

"Another fiction?"

She shook her head. "Nah, this time I'm not reading for fun; Ino needs information about flowers and instead of reading the book herself, she wants me to read it."

"And being the bookworm you are, you couldn't refuse."

"Hey! She begged me you know."

"That's what you say each time."

Sakura puffed her cheeks at him; they took a turn and came face to face with a mob of girls. Naruto knotted his brows at the moving circle.

"What's going on here?"

Sakura shrugged. "Beats me."

He tried to see the centre of the circle and who was the one that was getting fawned over so much, but he couldn't penetrate the tight mob, 'cause every time he tried to move a girl aside to see, she would kick him right out, using some inhuman power that he didn't know girls owned. Eventually, he gave up and lost interest, gritting his teeth at the guy who was taking the place he should be in. Naruto directed his pink haired friend away. Damn all those guys who had their fun in high school.

As they neared the class, Sakura told him that she needed to go over to Ino's class and having nothing better to do, Naruto tagged along. They made a few turns then came to a class similar to their's. Sakura looked around the masses then smiled when the light blond hair of her friend flashed her way. Naruto still tagging along in her heels.

"Sakura! Just the person I wanted to see. Tell me honey, did you read the flower book?"

"Not yet, I just borrowed it. To tell you the truth, there were a bunch, so it took me a while to spot the one that would be most helpful to you."

Ino smiled at her long timed friend. "Great! When are you planning on reading it?"

"I'll start today, after club activates."

"I knew I could count on you, Sakura." Her sky light eyes turned to the teen beside her friend; she gave him a mocking smile. "Naruto, I see your lousy grades haven't forbid you from entering."

"Hm. I bet they were better than yours."

"Dream on boy, dream on."

"Yeah Ino, I want your English dictionary, I kinda forgot mine today." Sakura interrupted their bickering.

"Okay, I don't mind, but….it's unusual for you to forget."

Sakura's face turned red, she darted her eyes. "….I was thinking about something and I forgot to pack it in."

"Thinking? Of what?"

"Umm….I'll tell you later, now give it."

Naruto's eyes strayed away from the two girls to the people in the classroom; so far, he didn't come across anyone from his middle school, all of the students here were strangers to him, he wondered if Ino was fine with a class full of people she didn't know, he shrugged, him not knowing them didn't mean Ino didn't know them. Suddenly through his search, his eyes sparkled. He spotted the red haired teen he had seen during the signing up the other day walking to the outside of the classroom. Naruto quickly excused himself from the two girls and dashed after him, glad to know they were both in the same year.

"Hay! You, the one with the red hair, wait up!"

Two pair of jade green eyes turned to Naruto, their owner stopped moving; the blond caught his breath and straightened his stand. He pointed a finger towards himself and released a friendly grin.

"The name is Uzumaki Naruto; would you have a match with me?"

"Dun wanna."

With an instant reply, Naruto was ignored and the red haired continued on his way. Not one to know where to stop, Naruto followed.

"Yes you do! I need someone to match with, to see how much I have improved, and I'm sure you want that, too."

"I already have someone to match with."

"A change won't hurt, come on!"

"Dun wanna means dun wanna. Now, piss off."

Naruto came to stop in front of the other, cutting his path. "And I said you'll match with me!"

"Dude, do you want to fight?"

"I want a match!"

A staring competition started and the redhead looked with uncaring eyes at the other. "When I beat you, you buzz off."

With a grin, Naruto corrected. "If you beat me that is."

* * *

From the information Naruto heard during their little match, the guy's name was Gaara, he came from Sunagakure Middle school, on a scholarship to this high school. According to Sakura, the ones getting on scholarships are usually very smart, being one to enter on a scholarship herself. But this guy was very talented in basketball as well, the feeling that Naruto got when he first saw him but was unable to identify, he could now, it was trust at first sight. He knew that if they wound up being friends, then this one will become a dear friend for him and they'll walk the same path together. He felt a wonder puzzle inside him at being able to determine all of that just by the way the other liked to play basketball, but then again, he used to read people relying on their basketball skills.

They finished with a tie, and tired with the third match; Naruto threw himself on the floor catching his breath.

"You're not so bad, after all."

"You too."

"Hn."

"But, I don't think it will be enough to enter the team though, they are too strong."

"We will pass. I know that for sure."

Gaara stood up, looked at his watch, then went to fetch his discarded ball. "It's time for class to start; I'll be going, you coming?"

"Naaah, I need a few minutes to catch my breath, you go on ahead."

The red haired shrugged. "Suit yourself, Uzumaki."

"Naruto is fine, and I'll call you Gaara."

"Don't go deciding to call people by their first names on your own."

"But you don't mind."

"Maybe I do."

"But you don't."

Gaara rolled his eyes at the grinning idiot on the floor; he shook his head and started walking. "Don't be too late."

"Only five more minutes, tops."

He didn't know why he doubted those words, but not one to waste his scholarship on stupid stuff, Gaara started walking towards his class, basketball firmly held in hand.

Naruto closed his eyes and released a loud sigh. His muscles hurt a bit from the running that he'd done but he thanked his tough exercises, because they gave him the stamina enough to be able to hold a one on one with the other. He was tough, truth be told, and it took everything Naruto had not to fall behind. In fact, he knew that if he were to at least miss on one move, the other would take the lead.

But he didn't, and they tied.

"Next time I'll beat him for sure!"

"Beat who?"

At the collected calm voice, Naruto's eyes opened, he sat so fast the other thought he must've cracked a vertebrae or two.

"You!"

"Me? You still fantasize about beating me?"

"Huh? No! I wasn't referring to you."

The raven raised a brow. "Strange, 'cause I swear I just heard you say it."

"Arrghhh, just forget it!"

A shrug was given to him. "Not that I care or anything."

Before Naruto's mind could catch up to what was going on, the other started walking away from the old court they were in, in fact, he had decided to come here to avoid the stalking girls but he never thought to meet the teen who was so brave – or stupid– as to request a one on one with him. The king of Konoha basketball team, but again, he did enjoy their little face off.

"I said wait!"

Naruto stationed himself before the other, blocking his path. He released a loud groan, why didn't people stop when they were told! He seemed to be doing the blocking a lot of times these days.

"What?"

Now that he got a good look at the one beside him, in the day light, Naruto felt his reason fly and at the hard stare he was getting, he didn't know what he wanted to say, it was like the words flew away from his mind. But the desire to stop the other from leaving was too great for him to handle.

"Spit it out already!"

"Umm…I want a new match!"

"No can do, you took all of your chances. There is no need for me to match with you since the result is already known."

Naruto knotted his brows, aggravated. "You can't know that! A game isn't determined till the bell rings!"

"And I don't enter a game where I know the ending. If there is nothing else, I'm going."

The raven started walking, passing beside him. Naruto felt something inside him tell him to chase after the other and get a hold of him, but he had nothing to say, and apparently, the raven had no desire to speak with him any further.

"What's your name!" Naruto shouted to the retreating form.

There was a pause at the movement, and at the brief moment those eyes turned to him, Naruto felt his heart thump.

"Wouldn't you want to know?"

At the sinister smirk, he faced the other with determined eyes. "Yes I want to know! It's not fair that you only know my name."

"You offered it on your own."

"That's true….but…."

Naruto looked at the ground sheepishly, feeling his cheeks grow hot at what he was about to say.

"But?"

He looked up, ignoring the embarrassment that seemed to control him and continued. "But I still want to know your name! Tell me your name."

The raven turned completely, giving his whole attention to the other. With slow steps he made his way towards Naruto, and stood face to face with him. At the close proximity, Naruto took a step back, but one pale strong hand on his shoulder steadied him from moving any farther.

"If you want to know my name, then become a regular. Win!"

With that Naruto was let go of, and the raven disappeared from his view. The blond fell on the ground, he clutched his heart, not knowing why it was pounding so hard, but with each pound, his anticipation to the day he'd know the name, deepened.

* * *

"Alright, those whose names are being called, remain in the court. The ones whose names are not, please step out, you didn't have the needed skill for this basketball team."

All the guys in the big court swallowed hard. Naruto breathed in and out, trying to calm the butterflies inside his stomach. He looked to his right to check up on Gaara. The red haired looked passively alright, almost uncaring, Naruto frowned. Why wasn't his friend anxious as he was? A bubble of air escaped Gaara's nose, indicating that he was nodding off; Naruto was starting to get seriously pissed. He held himself not to go and kick the other awake.

Paying his attention to the names that were being called instead of his sleeping friend, Naruto fisted his hands in eagerness.

"Takashi Masahiro, Haku Zabuza, Shino Aburame, Naruto Uzumaki, Kiba Inuzuka and last," The one reading the names, Neji, paused and walked towards the sleeping redhead, he hit him on the head with the chart he was holding and said. "Sleepy old Gaara."

A set of jade orbs woke up and glared at the raven. "There was no need for that, I was up."

Neji ignored the remark and continued with his words. "The ones who didn't make the cut, I'm sorry guys, try next year."

There were some groans and mumbles but no one has picked up a fight saying that they were unjust to them. Neji closed the door and locked it as no one to step in or out. He turned to his freshmen with an evil twinkle in his eyes.

"Now boys, your real tryouts begin now!"

Each looked at the other, not figuring out what their beautiful senpai was speaking about.

"The first tryouts we did were just to eliminate useless garbage. The real tryouts begin now. You'll be evaluated according to the three S-es. Strength, skill, and my own favorite, stamina. Fail one and you are out!"

Neji looked at one of the assistants and signaled him to hand him a different chart.

"You all will have one on ones with each other, then you'll be divided into two teams as to see how you will be functioning in real play. After that, I'll choose those of you, who I see fit to join the team, those who will crumble under pressure are _NOT_ needed."

Gaara groaned at the amount of work ahead of them and mumbled under his breath. "I had a feeling he'd pull something like this."

Naruto's ears perked at the sentence, he turned to his friend with questioning eyes. "You know, this has been on my mind for a while now, but do you know Neji-Senpai?"

Gaara's eyes followed the target of their conversation as the latter started directing his assistants to prepare the court for the upcoming battles.

"Senpai, ha? Well, we have been something of childhood friends."

In an instant, Naruto's eyes sparkled with thrill; Gaara had to step away from the bright stars dancing inside Naruto's eyes if he still wanted his sight to remain intact.

"Neji-Senpai is your childhood friend? That's so cool man!"

"What's cool about that?"

"Everything! I wish I had a childhood friend who cares about basketball as much as I do, my only friend is a bookworm!"

"It's not as fun as it seems, Neji," Gaara made sure the other was out of ear's reach then whispered. "He has a sadistic side. You wouldn't know how many nights I spent awake just because he had the urge to drag me out at three A.M to practice some shooting, dribbling, or to just chat because he was bored and couldn't sleep."

Naruto kept on grinning. "That's even better!"

Gaara scowled at the dope beside him that refused to understand just how tough having a willful childhood friend is. But Gaara knew that by the end of this year, Naruto would come to learn a little bit about Neji's true sadistic nature.

"Hey, you two! Seeing as how chatty you both are, you'll be the ones to play the first face off!"

Naruto eeped at the angry tone and stumbled on a ball when he was running to his side of the court, he swiftly straightened himself thanking God that none laughed at his silliness. As Gaara came to stand on the opposite side, Naruto's eyes flared with challenge. This was his chance to finally redeem himself and break that stupid tie they had earlier.

* * *

Naruto dragged his legs across the stairs, taking extra care as not to push his weight on any of them but on the rail. A yawn broke out of his mouth as he supported his tired body to the dining room table. Sleepily, he eyed the delicious breakfast his guardian had made for him, they were all his favorites. His eyes teared up, and as soon as he saw his guardian, he leapt into the man's comfy arms, sobbing.

"Iruka~ I'm so glad you are my father."

"Yes, yes, I know."

By now, the brown haired male had gotten used to Naruto's strange quirks and he stopped getting all mushy and teary with. Iruka removed the strong tan hands from his shirt as not to dirty it –forcing Naruto to sit down not to fall– and walked inside the kitchen to bring the last dish out. Seconds later, he came out placing the omelet then sitting down.

"So, still tired?"

The teary eyes didn't go away, Naruto nodded. "I'm so exhausted I could die; my legs feel like two lumps of wood."

"Was it that hard?"

"You just don't know how hard. Neji-Senpai is the devil."

Iruka smiled sheepishly. "That hard?"

"Worse, after playing one on ones, teaming against each other, being thrown into another challenge where he made us run thirty push ups, he made us perform another one on one to see who cracks first."

"Seems like a strict one."

"But I won't give up!"

"And you shouldn't, but I'm afraid you'll end up dying before you make it into the team."

Naruto put a muffle of rice into his mouth, feeling more tears well up at corners of his eyes at the amazing taste, he swallowed.

"I have not put that possibility away but, luckily, the results come out this Monday, although he had them prepared, everyone was so tired that the only thing they all comprehended was the sole word of 'Bed'."

Iruka continued smiling with joy while eating his food in a calmer way than Naruto's. "At least you are having fun."

"This amount of fun, kills, Iruka." Naruto released another whine.

"But this is your dream school, you've worked really hard to get in, you shouldn't surrender at a minor set back."

"And I'm not, but it's just, I've always heard how strict it is, and how torturous the training there is, but…"

"You didn't think it would be this hellish."

"Correct."

Iruka rose from his chair, having finished his share of breakfast, and took his dish to the sink. "But Naruto, that school has amazing records in basketball, I'm sure you'll become a wonderful player there."

"Yeah, I know, that was the reason I wanted in. But let's stop talking about my agony. You are a little too dressed up for home, where are you going?"

Iruka gave his son a kiss on the head as he walked pass him to go to the stairs and winked. "A date."

"When did you score one?"

"Last Wednesday, when I was doing some shopping for the kitchen."

Naruto held up his fork warningly. "Hey, don't go brining another lunatic in here; I'm still recovering from that Yoshinari dude you brought last time."

Iruka released a laugh. "Don't worry, he seems to be normal. But I won't bring him home on the first date, I'm not that cheap."

Naruto puffed his cheek at his guardian. "And I'm not saying you are. Just be careful, okay?"

"Don't worry, I will."

Naruto watched the man disappear upstairs to his room. In fact, his guardian was as straight as an arrow, but there was one accident when Naruto was seven that had him give up on all the female gender. Iruka had brought his girlfriend to live with them at home; unfortunately, she was the type to hate kids, so clearly Naruto wasn't on her good side. She had tortured him to the bone, and being the kid who didn't want to ruin his guardian's happiness, he didn't say a thing. Till one day, when Naruto was beaten too hard that he developed a fever and was taken to the hospital. There the doctor informed Iruka that the child has been abused.

After a long and hard conversation, it turned out that Iruka's girlfriend was the one who had done it. And ever since, Iruka seemed to be scared of brining any woman home. Naruto knew it was his fault, but every time he would try to convince Iruka on taking a date from a woman, the guy would refuse, saying that he was in the beginning bisexual, and right now, he just couldn't find the right person, be it a girl or a guy. But Naruto knew the truth. For since that awful night Iruka kicked his girlfriend in, all the dates he brought home were men. His guardian was scared of chicks now.

Naruto sighed, and picked at his eggs.

"If you don't want to eat it, then put it in the fridge for later."

Iruka's voice came before his figure come down the stairs, Naruto answered with an "Okay.", then stood up to clean up the breakfast table. He finished just in time as his guardian came to the living room all prepared.

"Iruka, don't you think this date of yours is a bit early?"

"Early?"

"Yeah, most people go dating around the afternoon, not at ten o'clock in the morning."

"Well, we aren't most people, and we did decide on doing lots of stuff today, so we are starting early. And Naruto, don't tell me you're planning on lazing out around the house this whole day."

"Can't I? It's a holiday, my long awaited one."

"I'm not saying you can't, it's just unproductive. Your muscles will rot that way."

Naruto stuck his tongue at his guardian, knowing very well how childish that was making him appear. "No they won't, besides, I was thinking of going to the park later on."

"To play basketball?"

He grinned to the brown haired man. "What else?"

"Sometimes I don't know whether this obsession you have with basketball is healthy or not."

"Sure it is!"

Iruka gave his son a look, then departed out the door after delivering a huge piece of advice about what should or shouldn't be done around the house. Naruto just sat listening to the other, knowing that whatever he has to say about him not being a kid anymore would befall on deaf ears.

* * *

Clutching his basketball in hand, Naruto knew he couldn't go play at his usual street court, seeing as how lots of guys took it as their own. And he didn't want to enter into a fistfight then break something in him making all the effort he made into making the team evaporate in thin air. Therefore, decreasing his chances of ever being a regular and thus, finding out the name.

As he twirled the ball on his index finger, Naruto had no clue why he was so interested with learning the other's name, but he was, and each time he would think about it, the blood would fire up inside his veins.

He continued walking, but after an hour of pointless bouncing of his ball, he decided that he'd go see one of his friends. Calling ahead was something that Sakura had insisted he does before going to anyone's house, calling it a necessity; so, he picked up his cell and dialed her number. Minutes later, she answered, apologizing to him that she had already promised Ino to go shopping together for pots of flowers and that she couldn't break it because they were waiting for this chance for a long time.

So, Naruto dialed the second number he knew of. Gaara's.

The first time around, no one picked up, thus the second time, but by the third time he dialed, a grungy voice of Gaara picked up. Naruto greeted his obviously sleepy friend and asked him about hanging out together. The answer he got was an obvious no, because the latter was too exhausted to leave his bed, but he invited Naruto to come over if he liked. And having nothing better to do, the blond took the invitation.

At the huge apartment building before him, Naruto closed his mouth that was gaping like a fish out of water. He went up the elevator and headed to the fifth floor, room thirty five. He stood beside the door, suddenly feeling his fingertips getting cold; why was he acting like it was his first time going to a friend's house, he didn't know. So, he puffed them to extinguish the nervousness away and rang the doorbell. Seconds later, the door opened to reveal a sleepy looking Gaara. His hair was a red mess flickering in all directions and the only thing that was covering his body was his boxers.

Gaara's drowsy jade eyes yawned before his mouth could. "Come'n, you got here fast enough."

"Yeah, your building kinda stood out."

"Oh right."

Naruto closed the door behind him and walked further inside the apartment, his basketball held in his right hand.

"So, no one's home?"

Gaara opened the fridge, got two cans of soda and sat across from Naruto at the small kitchen table.

"I live with my big sis and big bro. The two are out and about."

"Ahaa….and you were planning on sleeping the whole day?"

Gaara rested his head on the table. "Dude, you have no idea what happened to me last night. After you all left, Neji held me back for another exercise."

"Wow, he really wants you on the team."

"No, that's not it. He was bored and wanted someone to play with, seems like us playing before him has fired him up. So, he forced me to play Basketball with him."

Naruto started feeling sorry for his friend, and he asked the dreaded question. "I'm afraid to ask, but when did you get home?"

"Three, three thirty, around that time. We were kicked out of school by eleven, then he had me practice with him at the court in his house till two. By the time I saw my bed, it was three in the morning."

"Man, my muscles hurt just by hearing you speak about it."

"Imagine mine."

Naruto gave the other a sympathetic look, then stood up, holding the can in his hand. "Okay then, I should get going, you take your time resting~"

"You could stay for a little, you know."

"I know, but you look on the verge of falling down, you better sleep."

Naruto ignored the insistence of the latter that he should at least stay and finish his can of soda, and walked off while telling a white lie about how he needed be somewhere. Being the thoughtful person he was, he knew how much Gaara needed to sleep right now, and he wasn't one to ask people to give up their resting time just to be with him. So, he walked away. When his hand touched the knob of the front door, it suddenly sprung open on its own and a horrified look came across Gaara's face at the long haired raven who came barging in.

"Gaara! Darling, I'm here! Did you miss me?"

Naruto watched the drama play out in front of him; Gaara's face broke out in a sweat as if he was hearing the devil's voice, while Neji was cheerfully making his way towards the red haired.

"Holy shit!"

Neji stepped inside and quickly came pouncing on a tired Gaara, the other felt his head hit the ground and before he knew it, stars decided to play in front of his eyes. At the lifeless corpse before him, Neji lifted himself up from the other, then kneeled a second later to check how badly he had hurt his childhood friend.

"Gaara? You alright? Oi, speak to me."

"Stars…twirling….stars."

Neji sighed and pulled him up by the shoulder, suddenly the burden of Gaara's body became lighter. Neji looked to the other side noticing the presence of a third party for the first time.

"Uzumaki Naruto! What brought you here?"

Naruto smiled as a greeting to the other, not surprised that he was just noticed. "I came to visit Gaara."

"Oh, you two are friends?"

"Kinda."

"Now that you mention it, I remember Gaara saying something like that. Okay; help me put him in bed. I had no idea he was still this weak, one would figure after a hard and extensive training each and every day, he'd grow some balls. But no, just me pouncing on him made him faint." Neji looked with disapproving eyes at the other. "Pathetic."

Naruto sweat dropped at what Neji had said and he came to understand a little about what Gaara meant by Neji being a sadist.

"Anyways, now that we won't be getting much of him, how about you join us?"

"Me?"

"Yeah, I had originally thought about taking this idiot here, but he seems to be on cloud nine now, so there is no use. You have free time, right? It would be a good chance to meet the guys, too. Since you already made the cut."

"Made the cut? You don't mean…?"

"Yep! You are one of the team, although you will be on bench for now. We still have amazing regulars, it would be hard to have you steal their spot, but do work hard, you might just do it!"

"I can't believe it, are you for real?"

"Yes, you know the guys I root for never lose." Neji looked at his cell as it started ringing. He picked it up with an annoyed face. "Yes, we are coming down now….yes, I know….okay, no…wait…I told you we are coming! Sheesh, Sasuke, who woke you on the wrong side of the frigging bed!"

Naruto watched as the cell was flickered shut, and the angry face was soon turned into a smile.

"So Naruto Uzumaki, what would it be, coming or not?"

"Yeah, I'm coming." Naruto nodded; amazed at the speed the other's facial expressions would change with.

The two soon made their way down through the elevator. As Naruto remembered how he had now made it into the team, his mouth produced a grin that refused to budge. He knew he would appear like a happy fool to whomever was looking, but at this time, he didn't give a flying rat's ass, because he was really feeling happy.

"Neji-Senpai, aside from me, who made it?"

"Neji would do. It was actually very hard, since you all seemed to be doing very good. But at the end of the day, I had to rely on your stamina. And 'cause we already wanted only four, two were excluded."

"Who were the two?"

"Haku and Takashi. That leaves you, Gaara, Kiba, and Shino."

"So, we are going to meet those guys now?"

"Not today, right now it's a meeting for the regulars only; it's nothing much really, just a normal get together to see what's new with each other's lives. So, I don't think they'll mind getting to know you a little; after all, you are our new kōhai. Oh! Here's our ride!"

Naruto felt like the heavens were coming down on him as the face of the person that was haunting his every nightmare, the guy who defeated him two times, the one who made him work extra hard to make the cut, stared back at him.

"Hi there Uzumaki Naruto, I heard you are on the team now."

"You!"

The raven inhaled at the cigarette in his hands then threw it out the window. "You know, that word of yours is getting old, don't you have any except this 'You' each time we meet?"

"Wait, you two know each other? Since when?" Neji asked dumbfounded at the unexpected surprise.

"Yeah, dummy here was dumb enough to challenge me to match, two times, in a row."

"Hey! I'm not a dummy! Neji-sen…I mean Neji, where the hell do you know this guy from?"

Neji hopped inside the car, on the front seat, clicking the door from the inside for Naruto to get in behind them. "Oh, Sasuke, he is our Ace player. A member of the team."

"Dammit Neji!"

Naruto's eyes widened as the name he fought to know sounded to his ears, his surprise turned into a smile.

"So, your name is Sasuke."

Neji watched the faint blush that appeared on the raven's face, he smirked, thinking that there seems to be something that's kept in the dark from him, but it won't be too long till he finds out the whole story…..he will make sure of it.

"In fact, his full name is Uchiha Sasuke."

"That's Uchiha-Senpai to you!"

"Just call him Sasuke."

"Hey! I don't care if you want to drop the barriers of respect between you and your kōhais but don't drop mine!"

"Ignore him Naruto, just call him Sasuke."

The blond nodded. "I was planning on calling him that in the first place."

"See, problem solved! Now drive, Uchiha! Naruto here needs to get to know the other members, as well."

"Tche, I'm not your fucking chauffer!"

* * *

Naruto played with the ball in his hands as the three other teens introduced themselves, apparently Gaara's older brother who is a third year is on the team, his name is Kankuro. It amazed Naruto how the other put up through his face being tattooed like that, but it only increased his respect, because what can you hold for a person that can endure such awful pain? And even though he'd thought that the captain was Neji, it turned out that he was only the vice-captain. The true captain was a laid back person called Shikamaru, a second year. He was again astonished as how a second year could rob the captain title out of two third years, but Naruto had a feeling that there is more to that laid back person than meets the eyes.

Finally, there was an odd member of the team; he made Naruto feel….strange. And frankly, the thick eyebrows he had made Naruto's mind focused on them that he'd forgotten the name of the said person and came to recognize him as, Thick Eyebrow guy.

All in all, the regulars were nice, but there was one person whom Naruto was interested in besides of all those fine people. And that was the person whose name he had finally known. Sasuke Uchiha.

Suddenly, the guy occupying his mind came to stand before him, and with an ordering tone, he said. "You, come."

Without his brain processing that he was being ordered around like a dog, Naruto's body moved on its own and he started walking beside Sasuke. They stepped out of the restaurant the team was meeting in and strolled down the road.

"Where are we going?"

"To have a smoke."

"I don't smoke."

"I didn't say you will, I'll take a smoke."

Naruto stopped his feet. "No you can't, basketball players can't smoke."

"Says who?"

"Says me!"

"And who might you be?"

"The guy that will stop you from smoking!"

Naruto came to stand before Sasuke, blocking his path to whatever place Sasuke thought smoking would be nice in.

"You must be kidding me. Do you honestly think you'll stand before me in a real fight?"

"Yes I do! I may not look it, but I know how to defend myself."

"Okay, Blondie, let's see what you've got!"

The two started a serious fight, a series of punches, kicks and swears were delivered to both sides. Naruto didn't know he had it in him to be so violent. But the pressure of killing or be the one that get's killed, brought the worst in him. Sure he has taken a few Karate classes, but he didn't think they'll really help him in real life, and here is where they proved him wrong. They continued fighting till the afternoon's sky turned dark, and by the time they got back to their little get together, everyone had already bolted.

"Drive me home."

"You have the nerves to ask me that after what you have done."

"I didn't do anything,"

"You ruined my smoking time!"

"No I didn't, I saved you from an illness that will kill you ever so slowly! You should be thanking me."

"Let the one that will drive you home thank you. I'm outta here."

Naruto stood before the beautiful car, not letting Sasuke leave. "You can't leave me here! I have no car, no idea where we are, there are no taxis here either and my guardian is on a date! There is no one that will take me home!"

"That's your problem, not mine."

His desperation turned to anger in a mere second. "Look here you asshole, if it weren't for you wanting a fucking fight, I'd be home right now! You let me miss my ride, so take responsibility!"

"I didn't see you complain at the time! In fact, you were into it more than I! And I have no obligation to take you anywhere."

"That because kicking your ass was very much satisfying! And you do!"

"Oh no, as I recall it, I bashed that pretty face of yours to the ground!"

Scowling with heated nerves, Naruto retreated. "You can't possibly think that your lame punches did anything to me!"

"I don't have to think; your face is a walking proof."

Not having a retreat to the truth, Naruto turned his head, puffed his cheeks in anger –which wasn't such a good idea since it was where Sasuke has delivered his death punch, making pain shoot up his brain- and walked away from the car. It was obvious the other had no intention to drive him anywhere, and so, it was better to move away and reserve what's left of his dignity, for hell would break loose before he bows his head to such a person. His clear cerulean eyes spotted his ball lying around; Naruto picked it up and glared at the raven for his flat out refusal.

"Fine! I'll take a ride with anyone, go die!"

Sasuke watched the blond walk away with angry steps. In truth; he had asked Naruto to come with him because he wanted to know of the reason that had him –Naruto- glance every two seconds at him. It was annoying and was getting on his nerves, but he wasn't intending to start a fight with his kōhai over it. Still, without his knowledge things started heating up and he ended up with his hand on the other's face. Sasuke sighed when Naruto walked straight into a pole. He stifled a laugh after the other turned to give him a deathly glare, with his face all red from the pole; the glare wasn't all that intimidating.

But as the next step the blond took had him falling on the pavement, Sasuke decided that his teasing had gone a bit too far. The idiot obviously wasn't able to take care of himself, and he had a feeling that if he were to just drive away and leave, tomorrow at school, he'll hear about how Naruto was hospitalized after getting mugged and gang raped.

Sasuke got inside his car and drove beside Naruto. He clicked the passenger door open and called.

"Get in."

Naruto ignored the voice of reason calling him and continued stubbornly walking the dark street.

"I don't like to repeat myself, so you better get in."

At the pink tongue that was being stuck to him, Sasuke knew he had met his match in stubbornness.

"I told you to go die! I will never ride with an asshole!"

"I don't think you should be saying that right now, since the street you are walking on, is haunted." Sasuke smirked at the flinch, knowing now how to lead the other. "About a week ago, a body of a girl was found on that corner over there, she had been killed cruelly with her intestines all spread on the ground. Her organs were cut into little pieces and were stuffed inside a garbage bag, that's why it took them a while to locate the stench from her decaying flesh."

Naruto swallowed hard, he tried not to show the blood draining off his face, but his shaking fingers were totally giving him away. But no matter what, he wouldn't go with the jackass! The body had already been collected; there is nothing to fear…..right?

"There is a rumor going around that the girl's ghost shows up around this time of night. Seems like some people heard her crying….Oh, kinda like that voice right now."

Not a millisecond later, Naruto was inside the dark vehicle. Sasuke's smirk widened. The idiot was so caught up in his fear that he didn't pay attention that the sound they heard was a mere cat meowing.

"Well, well, who thought you'd turn out to be this scaredy catty."

Blushing, Naruto shouted. "Shut up already!"

The satisfied smirk told him that his upcoming days wouldn't be as wonderful as he thought they'd be. And Naruto didn't know why his mind had started wishing he had never gone to that stadium that night, or he had never met this obnoxious creature that sent his body trembling all over.

* * *

**So? What do you think? Like it? Hate it? I'm waiting for your reviews.**


	2. Chapter Two

**Author's Notes:**

**Thanks for the wonderful reviews, alerts and favorites! I'll work hard so I can get the updates out faster. A million thanks to my Beta for helping me clear this chapter of mistakes and thank you all for reading. Enjoy~**

* * *

Sakura raised her eyes from the book at hand and scowled at the sleeping blond beside her. She was aware that he had been busting his ass with training these past few days, but still, he could at least honour her with a word or two. As far as she could see, any time they spent together, Naruto would fall asleep two minutes later. She didn't want to admit it, but it was getting on her nerves. Sure, he liked basketball, but one shouldn't allow a mere sport to dominate over his life, putting him in a careless mess that only saw places to sleep in. She wanted her best friend back for heaven's sake!

"Naruto…"

Sakura called softly to wake him up without disturbing the students nearby, but her words fell on deaf ears. She sighed, closed the book in her hands and nudged him hard to wake him up. Sleepy eyes peeked at her from the arms their owner used to lean on.

"What is it, Sakura-chan?"

"It's time for you to get up; class will begin in five minutes."

"Then wake me up in five minutes."

"We need five minutes to reach the classroom, Naruto. Get up!"

Grumpily, Naruto raised his head up, stretched his numb arms in the process and slumped his head back on the table indicating just how worn out he was getting. Sakura pushed the chair she was sitting on to the back quietly and stood up. Collecting the books in front of her, she whispered to Naruto as not to attract any attention from the students who were still studying to her.

"I'm going to return those to their places, you wait for me outside."

Naruto nodded to her and watched as she disappeared into the bookshelves. Lazily he carried himself out of the quiet library, cursing at the way each bone in his body seemed to complain at the movement. Apparently, these days, it had become a habit of his to accompany Sakura into the library. Don't get him wrong, he wasn't turning into a bookworm, but a sleep-worm. The first time Sakura had dragged him there to study, he kept on whining. But once inside, he came to see why it was her favorite spot for reading.

The library was serene. It was quiet, no sound except the coolness of the AC as it poured over their sweaty forms and the now and then usual shuffle of pages. Naruto sneezed at the sudden change of temperature, making him notice how the outside was warmer than the inside of the library. Minutes later of standing there like a snoozing idiot, Sakura came out, holding the same book he saw her read inside. Naruto rolled his eyes at her, she was probably the only person he knew of that would spent each free minute they had reading.

"Shall we go?"

He tagged along beside her as they made their way to the classroom.

"Sakura, the Culture Festival is close by, right? What is our class going to do?"

"Naruto…you really are unbelievable!" She took a deep breath and tried not to release the frustration inside, 'cause even if she did, nothing was going to change. "But then again, how the hell would you know if you've been sleeping through everything!"

"Umm…I wasn't sleeping all the time."

"Yeah, not all the time, just in lessons, when you are with me or when our class is having discussions about something important in a free period!"

"As I said, not all the time." At the glare, he dropped the smart-ass attitude. "You know I can't help it, Sakura. The Interhigh Tournament is just around the corner and I need to prove myself to them, so they can let me play."

"You can't be serious, you have just made it into the team and now you want to snatch a position?"

"But I can! Sakura, I'm way better than that Thick Eyebrow guy they have on!"

"Thick Eyebrow guy?"

"Yes, he has these thick black eyebrows with circular round eyes," Naruto shivered. "Just thinking of him sends chills all over my body."

"Hmmm…now I'm interested in knowing him, mind if I came by later to check him out?"

"I don't mind, but don't you have club activities today?"

Sakura dismissed the notion with her hand. "I can slip away for one day, they aren't that hard headed about missing one or two voices."

"But your voice is the lead one in the choir."

"Not really, there is another girl….her tone-control is way better than mine. And to tell you the truth, I think there is a silent competition going on between us."

They took a turn and Naruto moved a little so that the girl who came running didn't bump into him. "You think?"

"Well, she didn't say anything about it and neither did I, but I can feel the competitive energy she is generating. She wants to steal my position."

"Wow, I didn't know choirs could be so scary."

Sakura gave him a smile. "I think they are like any other sport, we do have competitions as well, Naruto."

"With other choirs, not amongst yourselves."

"Yeah, but this girl is making it between us. Still it doesn't really matter; since she can't beat me in a matter of one day."

"I'm afraid that this _one day_ will be your downfall."

"Stop saying stuff that will jinx me!" She slapped him with the back of her book. "And whatever you say, I'll come today to watch you. Since I've developed an interest about the thing that got you sleeping through everything that was supposed to make our high school life fun."

"Sakura," Naruto sweat dropped. "Classes don't make life fun, they make life frustrating!"

"But learning does."

"You and I have two different views on what's fun."

The pink haired girl tugged a stray lock behind her ear, and gave him a little chuckle. Naruto slid the door open to their class, relieved that they had made it in time before Kurenai showed her face. He didn't hate the teacher, but she was too stern at times. Why couldn't she act a little bit more friendly and less cold? Almost all of her students were afraid of her. The blond took his seat and glanced out the window, if he was thankful for one thing she has done for him, it would be giving him a seat that had his best friend at the right side and a big breezy window at the left one.

"Kyaaa! Look, look! It's Sasuke-Senpai!"

"Where? Where?"

"There! His class is having a track contest! Look, Gosh he is soo hot! I would die to become his girlfriend!"

"He wouldn't look at you, ugly! I'm more his type!"

Naruto's eyes turned to the windows of the class opposite of them, he watched as a fight emerged between the girls to see who would triumph as Sasuke's girlfriend. He sighed then sent a silent glare to the guy setting up to run at the tracks. His glare soon changed to that of awe as Sasuke ran like lighting across the track, beating his rival in a heartbeat.

It was obvious that the one competing with Sasuke wasn't on the same level. Still, something felt a bit off with the raven, Naruto's eyes couldn't pinpoint the exact thing, but he knew there was something wrong, almost out of place happening. Switching his attention to the board, Naruto shrugged the subject off; this wasn't his business to worry about. And as the door opened revealing an oddly happy Kurenai, he sent that flicker of worry to the back of his mind.

* * *

Naruto drew his jacket closer and twirled the ball with his index finger. His club practice has finished and it was time to get going home. He spared a glance back, then turned around and continued his walk. Sakura hadn't shown to the practice at all, he had waited for her as long as he could, but after getting kicked out by an annoyed Shikamaru, he had no solution but to call it a day and go home without her. He did make a little trip to the Choir though, but they informed him that she had left early with a friend. Thinking that his best friend would have a good reason for ditching him, Naruto stopped thinking about the matter.

The roads were almost empty; with no one to walk except people coming late from their day jobs, and of course, cram students. He shivered at remembering the horror of that last year in Middle School and how hard he had worked to pass that difficult entrance exam of Konoha High. Naruto smiled, it was all worth it. Finally getting to the bus station, he pulled off his backpack and sat on the bench, waiting for the bus to come.

At the loud squeal emerging from his right, his attention was jolted out of his thoughts about the bus schedule; and turned to see what was exactly going on. When his eyes met with those onyx nightly ones, he wished if he hadn't. So, he ignored the pale raven and pretended as if he didn't see a thing. Yet, his ears couldn't help but set to hear the conversation.

"It would be lots of fun, Sasuke-kun."

"Yeah, you finished with your club, right? Then just come with us, we have been waiting for you since the beginning!"

Excited squeals followed as the two girls clapped their hands on either sides of Sasuke.

"I didn't ask you to."

The cold tone was evident to Naruto, and he could sense the way the girls must've flinched at it. Truthfully, he didn't know why the jerk was being such an ass. It wasn't like gorgeous girls come on to you each and every passing day….right?

"Sasuke-kun, you meanie~"

"We could show you a really good time, too."

And now, seductive scents were vibrating. Naruto held his ball close to him, and tried to have his mind return to calculating the bus schedule since it was running a bit late instead of eavesdropping on an annoying conversation.

"I don't really have time to play with you, girls.'Cause my date has been waiting."

"HUH? Date? I didn't see any girls waiting beside us."

"You don't have any date, Sasuke-kun; you're just bluffing with us."

"Am I now?"

Footsteps were getting closer to Naruto, and before he could know what was going on, he was being snatched up by the hand and held against a firm chest. He gazed with wide eyes at the raven who was daring enough to pull him into his problems.

"You can't be serious! _He_ is your date!"

"Yes he is, right Naruto-kun?" Sasuke turned with threatening eyes to the blond and whispered in his ears. "Say otherwise and you're dead!"

"Eh…umm…y-yeah…"

"See? I'm sorry, but I won't be able to accompany you this time, we'll have to put a rain check on this."

"Aahhh! Not fair! We were waiting this whole time, too!"

"Yeah, you can't prefer _him_ over us!" A disgusted look was given to Naruto, which he ignored.

"And I didn't, but I promised him to accompany him tonight in a game, now you don't want me to break my word and become a liar, or do you?"

Sasuke flashed them a charming smile that melted the girls to the ground, they shook their head with hearts floating around.

"Of course not, Sasuke-kun~"

"Good, then we'll take our leave. Let's go, Naruto-kun. And see you later, girls."

The blond didn't know what to make out of the sickly sweet tone he was being addressed with or what came over him to actually help the ass out, but he did. He took his backpack from the bench, twirled it over his back then followed behind his supposed date. He gave a little glance to his back and the glares given to him could kill. Naruto puffed his cheeks and fell in stride with the other.

"You could have dealt with that without pulling me along."

"I could, but seeing that look on your face was priceless."

"Ass!"

"It takes one to know one."

They walked a little then Sasuke stopped beside his car, he flickered the alarm off and went into the driver's seat. Without being told to, Naruto took the passenger seat.

"You sure are rich, right?" Recognizing his sudden question and how it would appear to others, Naruto continued to elaborate. "I mean, you have this amazing car, and I don't think a mere high schooler will be able to afford it."

"Took you long enough to notice."

"No, it didn't. I thought it, but didn't voice it."

"Hn."

Sasuke started the engine and they set to go. As the raven made a different turn from that to Naruto's house, Naruto was starting to wonder just where they were heading exactly. It wasn't the road they had taken the previous night Sasuke had drove him home. But he didn't sweat, since he knew the roads they were on right now. His eyes glanced at the stoic face beside him, looking at the other more intuitively; he could see why he was called handsome. His features were well cut and his black hair looked soo smooth as it fell so softly on either side of his pale cheeks.

Leaving Naruto to wonder why, even though that complexion was so pale that it was close to the dead's, he didn't feel any disgust while looking at it. But the opposite really; it made the being beside him look more unearthly and beautiful at the same time.

"Don't stare."

Getting caught off guard, Naruto turned to the glass blushing. "I…I wasn't staring."

Sasuke gave him a smirk. "Sure, you weren't."

Naruto felt his embarrassment deepen at the smirk. So, discomforted, he glued his face to the window and ignored the evilness beside him. As he did so, he noticed how they were now on a road that he didn't recognize.

"Umm…Sasuke, where are we going?"

"There is a game going on tonight, they're our first opponents. We are going to check it out."

"Oh, I did some research on them, too. They don't seem all that tough, last year; they lost on their first game."

"That was last year, this year they have recruited a strong player. Till now, they had three official games and won them all. One of the teams they've beaten had reached the finale of last year's Interhigh." A wave of eagerness wrapped around Sasuke. "My fingertips are blazing just by thinking I'll be playing such an opponent."

It was the first time since their challenge that he had seen Sasuke in such a condition, Naruto smiled, happy that the fire was still lit inside the other's heart.

"Don't go challenging strong players and lose, you hear me? You're mine to defeat!"

"Says the idiot who was stumbling through his dribbles this afternoon. And there is no way I'm losing."

Naruto puffed his cheeks and started playing with his fingers; he really had hoped that none notices his little misses today, but of course, nothing can pass those sharp orbs that seemed to see through everything. But in fact, it was all due to his anxiety. It was the first time he was practicing with the eyes of the regulars glued to him. Sure, he played games in Middle School and he was always the center of attention there. But he felt a bit uncomfortable today.

"I….I wasn't stumbling; I think I was just nervous."

Sasuke spared a glance at the fumbling blond. "Of?"

Naruto shrugged. "I don't really know, but I think because I had finally obtained the dream I was working so hard for, I'm getting a bit scared of handling it. I know it sounds stupid, but…..I was just too nervous today, with all these remarkable players watching my performance, it was….scary."

"Only idiots would get scared of something like that."

Naruto released a small smile. "I had a feeling you'd say something like that."

"Good, then you know you're an idiot!"

"And you're an ass!"

Sasuke took a cigarette out of his pocket and placed it on his lips, using his left hand; he lit it with the car's lighter, then returned the lighter to its original place. At the foreign smell, Naruto turned just in time to see the raven take his first drag off of the deadly nicotine. Quickly his hands went to snatch the cigarette away, but Sasuke's was swifter.

"Na, uh, uah. No touching."

"No touching my ass! That thing will kill you, and as a fellow basketballer, I can't live with myself knowing that you're slowly taking your own life!"

Naruto tried a second time at taking the drug, and this time, Sasuke used his left hand to grab Naruto's wrist. Pressuring at the veins, he warned.

"Next time, you'll be kicked out of the car."

Naruto pulled his hand free after it was let go off, he glared at Sasuke and nursed his aching wrist.

"Suite yourself. I won't touch it; smoke your life away for all I care!"

"That's more like it. Now get out, we are here."

Abruptly the car stopped moving and Naruto took a look outside the window, he felt his anger evaporate at the shining lights, and soon his face broke out into a huge grin when faced with the big flashy stadium.

* * *

Naruto held out his bag and then swung it over his shoulder, with his ball in his left hand; he steadied the door not to close just yet with his right.

"You know, you can always come inside. Dropping me off like this each time seems like we're doing something bad. Iruka would love to meet you, too."

Sasuke pulled up his sunglasses and looked with stoic eyes at the blond.

"I think you've got the wrong idea here. We're not friends, never have been and never will be. And I have no interest in getting to know you better or developing any fuzzy, cozy feelings with your family. I was simply finishing my business and getting you home since it was my fault this has happened. Now, do us both a favor and close the door, I had enough of looking at your lousy face for one day."

Naruto felt his relaxed expression flare in a mere second; and his angry mode switched back in. He slammed the door shut and raised the finger to Sasuke's face.

"Fine, Teme! I won't grace your stinking ass with even a syllable!"

"Most appreciated."

With that Sasuke drove off, leaving a steaming Naruto. It took everything Naruto had not to slam the front door and release the anger that was still messing with his insides. Who did that ass think he was? Sure, they had a great time and Naruto made the little mistake of maybe thinking they were on the road to becoming friends. But he was the one who started it! Naruto didn't go out of his way to seek the company of the asshole! He was the one who asked for it, and where does he get off now blaming it all on Naruto? As if Naruto was the one doing the stalking!

He roared as he walked up the stairs to his room. In his fit of anger, he ceased to see the shadows of the two adult men kissing on the kitchen table. Five minutes after he trashed his room in anger, Naruto decided that a cold shower would be very helpful to solve his little problem, and then, maybe he would try some shooting, yeah, playing basketball was always a way to calm his nerves.

The shower's cold water helped him clear up his foggy irritation and with each drop, his mind tried to make peace with the raven and he began putting himself in the other's shoes. It wouldn't be good for Sasuke to befriend an underclassman of course, and one who was always on his neck on how they should do a match. Nagging nonstop till he got what he wanted, like a little kid. Yeah, now that he thought about it, he did come off as a bit of an annoyance.

But even so, those words Sasuke threw at him were really hurtful, he didn't do anything wrong, just wanted to be friends with the guy. Was it all that bad really?

Naruto switched the shower off and got out holding a towel to cover his lower half. Feeling the sudden thirst for water, he switched to the kitchen instead of his room. If he had anything on his hand right now, Naruto was sure he'd drop it. Yes, it wasn't a big deal to see his so called father make out with a man, but they didn't have to go on jerking each other on the kitchen room table! Jesus that was where he eats his breakfast for crying out loud!

"Iruka!"

Startled out of his ecstasy, Iruka looked with surprised eyes at his so called son.

"N-Naruto….what are y-you doing here?"

"That should be my line! God, Iruka this is the kitchen table! We eat here!"

Iruka blushed and pushed the man who acted as if the crying teen was in another dimension away from him, quickly trying to hide his erection from Naruto.

"Ummm…s-sorry."

"Listen here kid, we are still at the beginning, anything you have to say to Iruka would have to wait! Iruka, show me the way to your bedroom."

Still clouded with ecstasy, the brown haired man had nothing to do but point the direction as his silver haired date led the way.

Watching the two men leave his sight, Naruto sighed with a heavy heart and looked at the bulge in his towel. Blushing at his own perverseness, he returned to the bathroom, cursing his raging teen hormones at getting affect with each little sexual act in front of him. He let himself get off in the bathroom then returned to the living room after cleaning up himself. As he did so, he wondered if jerking to the sight of two penises rubbing against each other was really how a teen should be jerking off.

About half an hour of the unfortunate incident, Iruka stepped out of his room heading downstairs. He saw Naruto sitting like a good child on the living room with a basketball game playing and made his way beside him.

"Naruto….I need to explain wha-"

"You don't have to," Naruto turned the volume down with a smile directed to his guardian. "I'm old enough to know about these things by now, Iruka. And I know that you haven't had any sex for about a month and a half now. So, I'm not really judging. But next time, try not to do it on the kitchen table. It kinda takes my mood off of food."

Iruka pulled the smiling blond into his arms for a crushing hug. "Aww, I don't know how I got to get such a wonderful son like you! And don't worry; I'll make sure he doesn't make us do something like that again."

"Which reminds me, who is he anyways?"

"You mean Kakashi? He is the date I've told you about."

Naruto frowned at the man beside him. "Wait, what happened to the 'I don't bring men to home on the first date' rule?"

Iruka smiled sheepishly to his kid. "Well, technically, this is the second date. And he kinda insisted on coming here to get to know you, since I spent most of my time talking about you, he wanted to meet you."

"I bet he just wanted to meet your dick, not me."

Blushing, the brunet hit his kid on the shoulder. "Naruto! Please, language!"

"Yeah, yeah….But it is the first time you've done something like this, even if they insisted. You don't usually bend."

Iruka nodded with a sweet smile. "Yeah, he is special, and I have a feeling he won't harm you in any way. You see; when I'm with him, I get a nice feeling of being safely sheltered, and I haven't felt like that in a long time, so, Naruto please, try to get along with him. He is a good guy. Besides,"

Naruto scowled. "What else?"

"He has a cousin who is in the same high school as you."

"A cousin." Naruto wrinkled his nose in disgust. "I bet he or she would be as perverted as he is!"

"Naruto, firstly, it's a he, a sophomore. And secondly, Kakashi isn't a pervert."

"Hum….you had just had sex with him. You are still affected. Wait for a few more days and you'll see how much of a pervert he really is!"

Iruka sighed and decided to ignore Naruto's sentences altogether. "Regarding his cousin, you should know him, since he is on the same basketball team as you are."

"You mean he is a regular?"

"From what Kakashi told me, he is the best player on the team, their Ace Player or something."

At this, Naruto felt his breath hitch. "Iruka…what was the name of this guy?"

"Oh, it's Uchiha Sasuke. Why? You know him?"

And the anger that was buried by the cold water half an hour ago surfaced to fill Naruto's already troubled stomach with unwanted heat.

* * *

Gaara had always learned how to play life cool and stop getting affected with every little thing that faced him. He had reached a place where he could only care about a few things, and he could count them with on one hand. Yet, it amazed him really how Naruto would switch from being on top of the heavenly clouds one morning to between blazing hells the next. But, he learned from Sakura, apparently Naruto's childhood friend, that when Naruto flips his moods, Gaara is to take shelter. Or if he was really up for it, try and reason with Naruto, not that it would do much good she said.

"Listen, I think Naruto should not take part in practice today."

Neji raised a brow at the red-haired before him. "Ooh, and why is that?"

"It's just….he doesn't look too good."

"Looks fine to me."

"Neji, try to get out of your little sadistic zone for a moment, and look at things as they truly are."

The lilac eyed beauty rolled his eyes but took Gaara's advice anyway and took a good hard look at Naruto's form. Blood-shot eyes, knotting eyebrows, slouched form and a dark aura that seemed to radiate from every cell in Naruto's body.

"You're right; he doesn't seem all that well. What happened?"

"I tried to squeeze the info outta him, but it was like squeezing dry a piece of wood."

"Maybe it has something to do with Sasuke."

"Sasuke?" Gaara quirked an invisible brow. "What's Naruto got to do with Sasuke?"

"Appears like the two of them know each other, I still don't have all of the details on the subject, but from what I know, Naruto met up with Sasuke one evening and the two had a match. Of course, Sasuke beat the crap out of poor Naruto."

"And how is that connected to Naruto's condition?"

"Remember the get-together that I was supposed to take you to?"

"Yeah."

"I took Naruto instead, and in the middle of our conversations, he and Sasuke seemed to just disappear. We figured Sasuke would be the one to drive Naruto home, so we took off with Kankuro. But…"

"You suspect something happened."

Neji nodded. "I have a hunch, but this happened the day before yesterday, and Naruto was fine yesterday. So, it may have nothing to do with Sasuke at all."

Gaara gave him a skeptical look. "But you don't know."

"Yeah….still for it to hit Naruto so hard, it must have been something. He always hit me as the perky one. But it seem even those have their off days. Anyhow, you want me to spare him this practice, right?"

"Yes. He has been training like crazy for the Interhigh, and we have our regulars beside Kiba, Shino and I to fill in for each of them if anything were to happen in the game. Besides, I hardly think one practice could make all the difference ther-"

Neji placed a hushing finger on the other's lips, ignoring the way it made him look to the other players present.

"Gaara, Gaara, Gaara. How many years have we known each other?"

Not knowing where the other wanted to get with this conversation, Gaara answered. "Coming on our thirteenth year by July."

"And, through all of these years, have you ever seen me giving a favor without anything in return?"

Gaara sighed at the evil smirk. "What do you want?"

"Always the sharp one, eh? Alright, here's my condition; you know that vacation you and Kankuro were planning to take without my knowing? Cancel it. We are going on a trip on our own!"

"Wait, first, how the hell did you know about that! It was a secret! And second, are you kidding me! Kankuro spent all of his paycheck on those tickets and the reservations! He'll slaughter me if I canceled on him now!"

Neji licked his lips smirking. "You should know by now that nothing hides from me, dear Gaara. And stop being such a drama queen, Kankuro won't harm you; he loves you too much to do it. And if it's about the money, I'll be more than happy to compensate him. So, want the deal or not?"

Gaara felt the beautiful picture of spending some quality time with his big brother and enjoying a nice brotherly vacation darken before his eyes. He took a look at the clearly pissed off blond and sighed. Naruto sure as hell was going to pay him back for this.

"Fine, I agree."

"You don't have to sound so sad about it, we'll have fun!"

At the way Neji skipped to Naruto with, Gaara sweat dropped, knowing whatever fun Neji had in mind was bound to break something in him.

* * *

"Naruto, I'm so sorry for yesterday! I had to escort this girl that I've met in the choir home since she was sick, after getting to her house; the time was already too late so I had to head home."

Sakura announced as soon as she saw the face of her friend. Naruto gave her a small smile then sat back on his seat. Since he was dismissed from his club activities, he had nothing to do but go see what was going on in his classes. It was true their school was a sports one, but it also paid attention to academic records, and he needed to keep his attendance points perfect, at least.

"Don't worry about it, Sakura-chan. I wasn't doing very well that day, it's best that you didn't come."

Sakura directed worried eyes at him, still not convinced that he'd forgiven her. "I….I'll make sure to come the next time you have practice, so…don't get upset."

"Sakura, I'm not upset with you. I know you couldn't help it. I'm just pissed at Iruka's new boyfriend."

"Oh, Iruka-san got a new boyfriend? Good! I hated that Yoshinari guy, he was too rude. Iruka-san deserves a better one."

"Yeah, I thought so, too. But this new one, I just can't swallow him."

Sakura grinned. "And it would be very weird if you could,"

"Sakura…" He warned. "I'm being serious here."

"Sorry, just thought to lighten up the gloom in here a bit. So, tell me, what is it about him that you hate so much?"

Naruto put his head on his desk and mumbled. "It's not really hate as much as annoyance. For example, yesterday, I walked in on him and Iruka almost having sex on our kitchen table, and I'm sure it wasn't Iruka's idea."

Sakura widened her eyes, but soon, she started holding her stomach trying to contain her laughter.

"Sakura! This isn't the time to be laughing!"

"I know, but…I just imagined the look on your face when you walked in on them. Classic!"

Naruto pouted and waited for his friend to come out of her laughing spree. Sakura stopped a few minutes later, knowing that she will have her fun afterwards, and that right now, Naruto needed her assistance.

"Is that all? You're annoyed with him just for that?"

"Not just that! He treats me like a brat, and thinks that he knows everything!"

"Well Naruto, logically speaking. You look like a brat to him, tell me, how old is he?"

"Iruka said he was twenty six."

"And you are only a sixteen years old high schooler; you will come off as a brat."

Naruto felt his pout deepen, why did Sakura always have to look at things from the right angle!

"Even so, he shouldn't be treating me like that!"

The pink haired girl put a reassuring hand on Naruto's shoulder, drawing his attention to her, with a sweet voice, she eased.

"Naruto, I know you. This isn't what's really bothering you. You have had worse experiences with Iruka-san's lovers, and you never complained. So, this is a camouflage for what's really bothering you…won't you tell me?"

Naruto raised his head from the desk and sighed facing her.

"You know me so well, Sakura, that is scares me sometimes."

Her reply was a melodious chuckle to his ears. Naruto felt a clam come over his body and he tried to convey to her what had happened to him these past days. The colors on her face along with her expressions seemed to change as he continued telling the story. He didn't recognize that he had wanted a person to speak to about Sasuke till he did. And the words just slid out of his mouth like a waterfall.

By the end of his story, Sakura had a clear idea about what was disturbing her friend, and also, a good advice to give him, although she was a bit suspired that the person Naruto had met the first night he came to their school was the same person who her heart seemed to drive to, she didn't show it to Naruto. For the last thing he needed was her telling him she had fallen in love with the Ice Prince.

"Listen Naruto, I think you should know something about Uchiha Sasuke before you start on deciding to cross him and hope he dies."

"What?"

"As you might have known, getting to know him and being on his good side isn't very easily done, but Naruto; there is something I think you should better know now."

"Will you stop with trying to stall for time and just come right out and say it? What is it about him that I don't know?"

"Uchiha Sasuke came to this school for a period of two years. One was already spent, and this one is already reaching it's half."

At her words, something in Naruto shook. With confused eyes, he questioned her. "What do you mean only two years?"

"That was his condition to come to this school. You know that our school relies on good players, and goes out of its way to recruit them. They bargained with Sasuke and he agreed to fulfill the period to two years only, because after, he was quitting basketball altogether."

"Quitting basketball? Why?"

Sakura shook her head, unable to provide the information Naruto wanted.

"No one really knows the reason, and till now, it's only a rumor. Nothing solid has been said by him. But there is no smoke without fire."

"So, you think it's true?"

"I have my doubts, but my initial guess is that it's true."

Naruto closed his eyes, took a deep breath and reopened his eyes again. "Sakura-chan, thank you."

With that, he ran out of the classroom, leaving the girl to wonder as to what came over her friend and had him run out of the class so fast ignoring their upcoming class.

* * *

Naruto tried to run as fast as he could, feeling the emotions inside his body explode and he had no idea what to do with them. His little secret place –his bedroom roof – was a bit impossible to reach at the moment, and the only thing close was this building's roof. Running against gravity was really hard, Naruto evened his breathing with his running and finally, he flicked the door to the rooftop open. Cold air met his skin the moment he did so, and he slumped on the ground taking a deep breath.

Naruto looked up at the sky and sat with his hands supporting him. The once clear morning sky was already blazing with clouds, and he thought about the possibility that he could shout all his worries and not being heard at all, for the clouds could absorb his screams in their darkness.

Minutes later, small drops of early rain began to fall, cooling the air around him. Naruto took the sudden chance of tranquility and lay on his back, facing the dark heavens.

"Why? Why does he have to leave?"

It wasn't directed to anyone, and he knew that if he were to ask this question to Sasuke, then all that he'll get were abusive words. Still, he wanted someone to answer him about Sasuke's and about the emotions that were burning in his chest.

Feeling as if there was really no one beside him to ask about Sasuke except the silver haired boyfriend of his guardian, Naruto released a growl.

He did want to know about Sasuke, but he didn't want to come in contact with such a man for doing so.

"Shit, my cigarette isn't lighting any. Fuck stupid rain!"

Without meaning to, Naruto felt his nerves shake at the deep voice that he came to recognize so well, and hoped that at whatever cost, the other doesn't see him. Looking for a place to hide, Naruto crawled softly towards the big boxes where the engines for the Air Conditioners were placed in, then hid behind them.

Seconds later, Sasuke hopped down from top of the small room that was placed on the rooftop, and made sure not to trip on his two legs. His green jacket was nowhere to be found, and his black hair seemed to stick to his face from the rain drops. Naruto shook his head again remembering not to get fascinated and stare. So, he turned his back to the engines and looked forwards, ignoring the failed attempts behind him to light the death stick.

"Fuck!"

The sound of Sasuke kicking the wall in frustration flinched Naruto to reality, making him aware of the fact that he was overly conscious of the teen behind him. But as his ears were picking up on every little movement Sasuke's body took, his desire to speak with the latter was growing by the second. He did remember the words to stay away, the warning as not to get closer. But…but…

He wanted to get closer.

"You Dobe! Still playing hide and seek at your age?"

Naruto's fingers grew cold from the cringing voice calling him. He calmed his racing heart and took a deep breath. Seeing no need to hide anymore as he'd already been spotted, he revealed himself.

"I wasn't playing."

"Yeah right…I bet you weren't."

Naruto's eyes widened at the object in Sasuke's left hand, from his position earlier, he couldn't see it, but now….his brows knotted in disagreement and he made his way towards the swaying teen.

"Sasuke, give that here!"

"Give what?"

"The beer, give it."

"Fuck off!"

Naruto ignored the obviously drunken raven and tried to take the can by force, still Sasuke was tougher than he was and sent him falling to the ground.

"You know what will happen if they catch you with that? You'll be kicked off the team and perhaps even suspended from school! The Interhigh is around the corner! We can't lose you now, just hand it over!"

Sasuke sent a death glare to the righteous blond on the ground. "Shut the fuck up! What do you know! All you care about is playing fucking strong players and winning! Where do you get off telling me how to live my damn life!"

Naruto stood up and tried to take the can out of Sasuke's hands again.

"I'm not trying to tell you how to live your life. I'm helping you not to ruin it! Just let go of the damn can!"

"I told you to fuck off!"

He was sent back again to the hard ground and Naruto knew that forcing his way wasn't the best solution there was. And honestly speaking, he didn't know why he even bothered. He could have just gone down the stairs and forgot what was happening to the idiot up there. But he couldn't do it, be it whether he had a good kind heart or he just didn't want the team to lose their Ace Player. He just couldn't take off and leave Sasuke in such a condition.

"Sasuke, okay, keep the can, but stop drinking from it, how about that?"

"Are you stupid? Of course I'll drink from it!"

Naruto sighed. "Alright, this leaves me no other option, I'm sorry beforehand."

Charging head on, Naruto delivered a head butt alongside a punch to Sasuke's stomach, making the raven clutch his now hurting organ in pain. Naruto used this chance and threw the can Sasuke was drinking behind the engines. A voice inside him told him to check the place Sasuke was sitting in, and sure as he did so, five empty cans looked back at him. Naruto climbed down the small ladder and looked with disapproving eyes at the teen passed out in front of him.

"Just what did I get myself into?"

He asked the sky as he slowly swung one arm of Sasuke over his shoulder and was steadily making his way out of the school, making sure that there was no teacher to catch them, because he knew that if anyone –student or teacher – were to find them, Sasuke was doomed.

Fortunately, Naruto was able to pull it off 'till the bus station, and as if someone was taking mercy on him, there was a bus that was about to take off. He got on and pretended that Sasuke was passed out sick instead of drunk, in which the bus driver took little interest in. He reached his house just before the sky started pouring. And having no energy left in him for dragging Sasuke's lifeless body to the inside, Naruto shouted for his guardian to help.

Iruka was shocked to say the least, but he helped Naruto take the drenched kid to his bedroom, clean him up then change him into warm clothes and leave him to sleep. Then over some hot chocolate, he sat to question his son about what was really going on.

Naruto told Iruka the story, and how Sasuke got himself dead drunk, causing him to use unwanted measures to bring him back to his senses before he made a mess out of himself. Iruka smiled when Naruto finished his story.

"I think your decision was correct. All we need to do now is to let his family know his whereabouts. I'll contact Kakashi; he is bound to have Sasuke-kun's parents' home number."

Naruto scratched his head sheepishly. "I hate to ask you this, but could you not contact him right now? I kinda want Sasuke to get some sleep first, 'cause he seems too tired. And if you did call them right now, it will be a problem if he didn't wish for them to find out that he was drinking."

Iruka frowned not liking the words coming out of Naruto's mouth.

"Naruto, I don't think that hiding such a truth from his parents is good, they should know what their son is doing so they can help him."

"But I know him, he isn't a drunk," Naruto lied through his teeth. "I'm sure something must've come up to get him to drink, please, Iruka."

The brunet's frown lessened a bit; he put the chocolate mug on the table and looked with serious eyes at the pleading blond. "Even if I didn't tell them about him drinking, I'll still have to contact them, they'll worry when he doesn't get back home."

"I know, and I'm not asking for you not to contact them the whole day…just give him five hours. School is over in three, and we have club activities today after, too. So, he shouldn't be home till later. I beg you; give him this little time to rest!"

The brown haired writer cracked, he was never good with Naruto when he used the begging style.

"Fine, after five hours, I'll call them. And if he wakes up sooner, I'll call them."

"Yay! Thank you, Iruka. That's all I'm asking."

"Anyways, since you're back early, and you didn't have your breakfast this morning. I'm going to heat something up for you. You go clean up and get out of these damp clothes before you come down with something."

Naruto nodded and grinning jumped up the stairs.

* * *

Sasuke opened his eyes at the weird sound his ears were picking. Laughter. There was no laughter in his house, in fact, that word was so cruelly wiped out of his dictionary of life. He felt the way with his right hand and the switch for his bedside lamp was no where to be found, wait, even the lamp was no where to be found. Now wide awake, Sasuke took a good look at his surroundings. His eyes knotted in confusion. This wasn't his room, not his house. Where the hell was he?

As he removed the warm blanket away from his body, Sasuke felt a huge headache hit his head. He winced in pain and tried to feel his way through the small room 'till his hand got a hold of the light switch. He turned it on and took a good look at the room, ignoring his headache.

Basketball posters of famous international and Japanese players were on the warm blue colored walls, the small but comfortable bed, the huge fox plushie that was beside the bed smirked up at him, the cozy room that had chills run down Sasuke's spin, was totally different from his. And his question to know the owner of the room thickened. Voices laughing pulled his attention from the sweet room he was in to the outside. Curiously, he pulled the knob opening the door.

As his feet led him though the small hallway to the stairs, he was once again reminded of how different this house was to his. He followed the laughs and went downstairs. Slowly, the pieces of the puzzle fell into their respective places when he saw the pleased face of Naruto alongside another brunet.

"Ahem…" Sasuke coughed to catch the attention of the two strangers.

"Oh Sasuke! You're up!"

Naruto left the sofa he was on and rushed to the raven's side, while Iruka switched the volume of their favorite comedy show off and stood, walking to the wakened teen.

"Yeah, how long was I out?"

"I'd say four hours by now," Naruto answered with a smile.

"That long, ha? I'll need to go home then."

"Nonsense! Dinner will be ready in five minutes! You won't leave until you eat something. And with that hangover you're having, you need some water to take care of the dehydration and lessen your headache!" Iruka's voice beat Naruto to the objection first.

"I'm sorry, but I really can't do that. I'm to be expected at home at eight o'clock today."

"I'm sure your family will understand. You know what, let me call Kakashi and have him come over, that way you won't be so shy with us!"

Iruka left with that, leaving Naruto to fill in the blanks for Sasuke and introduce him to the new character. So, not wanting to delay the information any further, Naruto started speaking.

"Iruka is Kakashi's acquaintance; and they are kinda close, he mentioned that you were his cousin."

Sasuke turned his head to the side trying to get a good look at the cooking man. "And he is your….big brother?"

Naruto shook his head, still grinning. "Not really, although he acts more like it. He is my guardian, as you see, I don't have any parents. He took me in when I was five, and we have been together ever since."

"How can you say that with such a happy face?" Sasuke muttered under his breath.

"Sorry, didn't catch you there. What did you say?"

Sasuke turned and started walking back up the stairs. "It's nothing. Can you bring me my clothes; I'll need to leave in them."

"Umm….how would you get home? I mean it's late, and I don't think there are buses here that come this time at night. You should just spend the night."

"That, I can't do. Kakashi is coming, right? I will get a ride with him. So go get me my clothes."

Feeling a bit sad about being shut down like this, Naruto nodded and headed to the washing room. He had washed and dried Sasuke clothes even ironed them. But as he clutched the freshly ironed clothes in his hands, he felt the urge to burn them and stop Sasuke from leaving, shackle him. Naruto shook his head and went to give Sasuke the clothes, but even if he couldn't burn the clothes, he didn't hide the fact that he really did want Sasuke to spend the night at his place. Not as friends, since the other seemed to hate that naming, but as fellow playmates who loved the same sport.

Naruto knocked on his bedroom door then opened it, finding Sasuke in the middle of removing the pants that Iruka had put on him. Turning from the pale, magnificently toned body, Naruto handed the clothes to their owner and left the room before the other could speak a word.

Once down the harmonious voice of his guardian called his name, he went to the kitchen to see what the other needed.

"Naruto, go set up the table for four people, Kakashi will be here in fifteen minutes."

"Do I have to? I really, really, really don't want him here!" Naruto held the plates pouting.

Iruka stirred the soup and rolled his eyes at him. "Stop whining, you agreed to get along with him. And don't forget, he is Sasuke-kun's cousin. And you wouldn't want to be rude to your friend's cousin, now would you?"

"But~"

"Go set the table, Naruto!"

Taking the plates alongside the forks and spoons, Naruto arranged the table. Footsteps made their way from his room and he looked to see a fresh looking Sasuke nodding to him. Naruto's face soon broke into a smile.

"I see you've finished dressing. Take your seat."

Sasuke looked at the small table, so much different from his grand one and at the one fork and spoon, eating with so little utensils would leave no room for mistakes or confusion, a small unnoticeable smile played on his lips.

"I haven't decided I'd stay for dinner, yet."

"Oooh, but Iruka did, and believe me; you don't want to anger Iruka. So, choose a seat."

Sasuke took the first one on the left side. Joyful, Naruto placed himself beside him, leaving the two empty seats for his guardian and his boyfriend. Soon after, Iruka started getting dishes out of the kitchen, calling Naruto to help in the moving. When nine o'clock had hit, all three males were sitting on the dining table looking at their delicious looking dinner and waiting for a very late silver haired man.

Just when Naruto was about to say hell with Kakashi and start eating, their front doorbell rang, forcing the blond to go and hope it was Kakashi. Sure thing, the one eyed male grinned down to Naruto.

"Yo, there chibi. You're as short as I left you yesterday."

"And you are as detestable as I left you yesterday."

"Little smartass."

Kakashi pinched Naruto's cheeks and made himself at home. Quickly going to the dining room and giving his love a deep kiss that sent Naruto to panic land. Why did the ass have to expose their relationship when Naruto had no idea how Sasuke viewed homosexuals!

"Sasuke, you really are here! I thought Iruka was kidding when he said you've stopped by. Have you stopped being the antisocial ice-prick loner?"

"Kakashi, you're as vulgar as ever, sticking your nose where it doesn't belong."

"You know me too well, dear cousin."

Sasuke ignored the presence of the silver haired male from that point on, and focused on getting this dinner over with. While Naruto was still trying to get over the shock that Sasuke had no objection to the kiss he had just witnessed. Not wanting to cause any problems by pointing it out, Naruto went to his chair and started eating, forgetting himself as soon as the tasty food slid down his throat.

"Iruka, you've topped yourself with this one!"

The brunet haired man smiled. "Glad you like it, Naruto. It's a special recipe from an Indian friend of mine. It has a bit different choices of spices to my linking, but it turned out good, right Sasuke?"

"Yes, very flavorsome."

"Thank you. Eat your fill! There is a lot of food here."

Sasuke nodded and continued to observe the inhuman way Naruto was swallowing down his food. It wasn't even swallowing; it was more like junking, putting objects over objects and just cramming them together. Like a pig being introduced to his first dish. Sasuke tried not to laugh and cause questioning eyes to follow that strange melody that has never left his mouth.

* * *

Sasuke was the first to leave the warm house; he took steady steps to the black car outside. It had been a while since he last came in contact with Kakashi. Ever since the silver haired man had left their house that stormy night in anger, he lost all contact he ever had with him. Sasuke turned and caught a good look at the house. It wasn't as big as his, no, in fact, he was sure this house was smaller than his servants' residence. But it gave off a warm feeling, a nice fragrance that Sasuke had missed for a long time, it seemed as if it was the perfect little painting one should hang over a hearth. Sasuke ignored the silly ideas running inside his head and made his way to the car, figuring out that this was what normal people called a home.

"Sasuke, wait a minute." Iruka came out of the house holding a covered dish. He walked to the uncaring raven and stretched his hands. "Here, a small gift for coming to visit."

Sasuke looked at the dish passively. "But I didn't come to visit, Naruto forced me here."

"Even if, you did come. Take it, I guarantee its deliciousness."

Sasuke kept looking at the dish without making any notion to take it. He didn't know what to make out of the other's kindness. Was it because he wanted him to befriend Naruto? Well, that won't work with a simple offering of food. Or was it maybe his way of telling Sasuke that he was welcome to come again? But that didn't fit. Why would a total stranger want him to come over to visit him again? People always did things because they needed something back. He knew from experience that true kindness was only found in fairy tales. Then what was the true purpose the other had?

Iruka felt his spirit drop a little at the way Sasuke was refusing to take the dish and was eyeing him as if he'd put poison inside the food. But before his smile could disappear, the dish was snatched from his hands by a grinning Kakashi.

"No worries, Darling. I'll be sure he eats it!"

The brunet blushed at the calling but nodded his silent thanks to his recent boyfriend.

"Alright then, I hope you enjoy it, Sasuke-kun."

"Hn."

Kakashi grabbed his young cousin by the collar and directed him towards the elder brunet. "'Hn' Sasuke doesn't do in a situation like this! You should say a proper 'thank you', because he went out of his way to shelter and feed your drunken ass!"

Sasuke never liked being around Kakashi, and it wasn't because the other was too obnoxious for words, no, it was because he could make him do stuff that he didn't like doing, for example, forcing him into a thanks that he really didn't want to give. And he always knew that if it came down to a fight, he didn't stand a chance. The tight hold on his collar and the evil grin that was coming from the man behind him told him that he had a little chance of running away or fighting his way free.

With a sigh, he bowed. "Thank you for all of your trouble."

Just when those words left his mouth, Naruto made his way from inside the house, having already cleared the dining table. He stood in surprise at the words that he'd heard. He was familiar with the fact that he wasn't the one being thanked, but to know that the arrogant bastard had in him a small humble soul that was able to give thanks when needed, made a big bright smile plaster on Naruto's face.

"You are very much welcome." Iruka replied with happy eyes.

Naruto came to stand beside Sasuke as Kakashi pushed the dish into this cousin's hands and pulled Iruka to the side with a sinister smile on his lips. Figuring that whatever the silver haired man had in his mind to do with Iruka, it wouldn't be a very good idea to let Sasuke see, Naruto tried to direct the attention to himself rather than the background but Sasuke's mind was set.

"When did they hook up?"

Startled by the sudden question, Naruto gave an honest answer. "Counting today, three days."

"They don't look like they've known each other for only three days."

"See….Iruka didn't really tell me the whole story, but I think they've been friends before.'Cause they are just too comfortable with each other for people who have only met three days ago. But anyways, I'm sure he'll tell me with time."

Sasuke nodded. He turned towards the black car and opened the passenger seat, getting in and closing the door behind him. Naruto came and knocked on the glass, making Sasuke roll the window down.

"You forgot your car keys. Here," He handed him the set of keys. "When I washed your pants I kinda emptied your pockets, but forgot to return the keys inside. Your car must still be at school."

"Yeah…thanks."

Even though the _'thanks'_ he was getting felt more like a passing word in a conversation than a word that held a meaning and lacked the gratefulness Sasuke had showed earlier to Iruka; Naruto cherished it all the more.

"Don't mention it, but….I would really want you to quit drinking and smoking, if possible. They will only wreck your life."

"Believe it or not, I don't really drink. Today was a special occasion. And my smoking, I can't give up on that since it calms me down."

"Then, then if you find another thing to clam you down, would you quit it?"

Sasuke took a look at the teen for the first time since they stepped out the house. The enthusiasm inside those blue orbs made him lose any words of sarcasm he wanted to drop at the other and speak with him truthfully.

"I don't know."

"Then there is a possibility, right? Since you don't know!"

"Naruto, I don't want you to get carried away by this, I'm very comfortable with my cigarettes. I don't want anything else."

"But they are bad for you! Your body won't be in perfect shape because of them, and your stamina will drop since your lungs will deteriorate."

"It doesn't matter. I'm quitting basketball by the end of this year, anyway. So, there is no need for you to go search for replacement to my smokes."

"But-"

"Good night, Naruto."

Sasuke rolled the window up on the now bummed-out blond. Seconds later, Kakashi hopped inside the car, put his keys into the engine to start the car and started driving. When he was sure they were at a safe distance from his love's house, he let the nice smile on his lips drop.

"Stay away from that kid, Sasuke. He doesn't need you to mess up his life."

"I know."

Sasuke sent a glare to the other man, but remained silent the rest of the ride. His onyx eyes hooked on the yellow lines drawn on the road and restlessly waited for the time he'd be dropped off.

* * *

**_F_inished! What do you think peeps? I tried to give some information about the upcoming chapters in this one! And gave a little screen time to Kakashi =3, I just love him with Iruka! Don't forget to review~**


	3. Chapter Three

**Author Notes:**

**Thanks to all of you out there who have reviewed, I was really happy to get them. And would be glad if you continued to support me. And a special thanks to my great Beta, Missbip0lar, for her amazing work in beta'ng this story. Enjoy everyone; the next chapter is only a few days away.**

* * *

It had all happened too fast for Naruto's mind to catch up. One moment he was jumping to catch the ball, the next he was laying on a white bed with the members of the basketball team surrounding him. He blinked at the teacher who cooped the boys out, leaving only Neji since he was responsible for the members and came to examine him.

"Hmm….we'll have to contact his parents."

"Why? Is it something serious?"

The brown haired teacher frowned. "I don't have the right equipments here to do the check up, but from what I'm seeing, he needs an X-ray."

"X-ray? He only fell down on his arm."

"Yes, and seems to have broken it. But, we can't make sure 'till he goes to the hospital,"

Neji heaved a big sigh and looked at the blinking blond, noticing how the other was obviously still in a state of shock. "I guess there is no other way then. I have his parents' contact information in the club room; I'll go contact them. Sensei, should I call an ambulance or would it be fine to have one of my players drive him there?"

"It would be best if his parents were to take him, I believe."

"Alright then, excuse me."

The green eyed teacher watched Neji step out with a bow, oh how she loved polite students. At the groan that left the blond's mouth, her attention was drawn to her patient, she hurried to his side making him lay down as not to damage her first aid.

"Ouch!"

"It's not wise to be moving right now, Uzumaki-kun. Your arm," She tightened the wrap around his neck since it loosened a little, "appears to be broken. You don't have to worry we'll get you to the hospital in no time and I've sent a person to contact your parents already."

"My parents? You mean Iruka…" At the strange look in her eyes, he clarified. "He is my guardian. I don't think you'll be able to find him, since he went to a meeting this morning, and won't be back till tomorrow evening."

"Oh, then I think we'd better get an ambulance to take you."

Before Naruto could release another word, the door slid open revealing an obviously troubled Neji.

"Sensei, no one picked up the phone when I called. I don't think his parents are home."

"That's fine, Uzumaki-kun said that his guardian was out and won't be back till tomorrow, just call an ambulance."

"It would take time for it to get here, just let Kankuro, my player, drive him there. He is already eighteen and has a driving permit,"

The brunette teacher scowled not liking this answer. "I can't allow two students to get off school campus to a hospital without a relative or a sensei. It's against school policy."

"Then would it be fine if our club adviser, Gai-sensei, were to come?"

"Oh, that would be alright. Contact him."

Neji nodded and flickered his cell to call Lee to get their teacher and Kankuro so that they can take Naruto to the hospital as soon as possible and get this whole thing over with. Naruto's fall came at the worst possible time for them. The Interhigh was starting next week, and with this, they were down one amazing player. Neji bit the inside of his mouth and tried not to show his stress around the other, because he knew that amongst all the first years that attended the primary tryouts, Naruto was really looking forward into playing on this Interhigh….and with this, it would be damn impossible for him to.

* * *

Naruto had to grin and bear with it not to trouble his upperclassmen and his sensei anymore, but the cast that was placed on his right arm was itchy, and however he wanted to scratch, he couldn't reach the inside. At the hospital, the doctor told him that it was a minor fraction, luckily, and will need approximately two and a half weeks to heal completely. He had felt really down at the moment, and complained because that way he was forbidden to play any basketball, which was really unfair since he busted his ass to prove himself this tournament. Neji had forced him to calm down with a reminder that they'll continue winning till Naruto heals upright and then is able to play with them.

Even though that should have made him feel a little bit better, it didn't. Because he wanted to play from the beginning, to be with the team from the first whistle. Not just come strolling in when they neared the finishing line! Naruto sighed and closed the door behind him after saying goodbye and thanks to his Senpai. Kankuro was kind enough to deliver him home after the examination in the hospital had ended. He was reminded again that he needed to pay back Kankuro the money he gave at the hospital as soon as he sees Iruka.

He walked inside and switched the lights on, groaning at the empty house before him. He had lied to his sensei and Kankuro when they asked if there was someone who could take care of him at home, but he didn't want them to go out of their way and nurse him through the night. He wasn't a little kid anymore and was able to look after his own ass perfectly fine. Even if his dominant right arm was of no use, he would train his other arm to be useful.

Making his way to the kitchen, Naruto opened the fridge's door and got a bottle of water to cool his thirsting throat. He put it on the table, tried to steady it with his casted palm –which was a very hard task to pull through– so he could open the lid with his left one. But his left hand couldn't open the tightly closed bottle and every time he tried, it would either slip from his right palm, or his left one. After many failed attempts, an aggravated Naruto threw the bottle on the floor hard, causing it to break and start leaking water.

Frustration was so easily taking over him, he slumped on the ground behind the counter with his two arms lying uselessly beside him. Why? Why did this have to happen to him? He was so close to achieving his goal and stealing Rock's position, why at this crucial time? When everything was going right with his sport-life. Now, he wouldn't even be able to properly dribble a basketball ball. A stray tear fell down his cheek.

Naruto pulled his legs close and silently let his frustration get washed with his tears. If only he didn't make that failed jump to get the ball, if only he didn't land on his hand, if only he had paid much attention to the angle. This wouldn't have happened. And he wouldn't have to sit back watching his teammates fight without him.

Lost in his own darkness, the sound of the front doorbell going off was like a tiny little twinkle aiming to get his attention. Naruto ignored it. This wasn't time for guests to come; he didn't have any energy to pretend he was alright. This was his time to collect himself, not to force a smile on his face when he obviously couldn't for a mere guest. A drifting thought that it might be Iruka ringing, flashed momentarily inside his head. But it was dismissed a second later, Iruka had his own keys; he would've just unlocked the door and came inside.

But even though it was an unlikely possibility, his legs stood taking him to the door. Maybe Iruka had lost his keys somewhere on his way rushing home, or maybe he forgot them at the meeting place or maybe he didn't even take them out of the house. His mind tried to come up with any possibility to have the one ringing the doorbell be Iruka, 'cause he wanted Iruka to be here and comfort him like he'd always done. Still, it won't be a good idea to let Iruka see his tears, for the last time he was caught crying alone; Iruka had refused any work for a period of two weeks and was giving extra attention to Naruto. Yes, a really not good idea.

Naruto wiped his eyes with the shirt he was wearing, ignoring the little voice that told him that Iruka wouldn't be very happy about that either and made his way towards the front door.

He calmly opened the door, anticipating to meet his guardian. But the surprise at seeing the Uchiha child staring back at him with cold black orbs instead of those tender ones his guardian had, fell down on him like a prick of hard stones.

"W-What are you doing here?"

Naruto forced his voice to steady and lose the shaking. For the last thing he needed right now was for his rival to catch him in a weak and vulnerable situation.

Sasuke chose not to comment on the shaking hand holding the door to a crack instead of a welcoming opening and calmly replied. "I came to return this," He pushed the dish he was carrying in Naruto's face, forcing him to open the door completely, and now it was his turn to be surprised at the casted arm.

"What happened?"

Recovering from his startle just now, Naruto gave a short and sufficient answer. "A jump gone wrong."

"I see."

He tried not to show how deeply affected he was by his arm, so he took the dish that was briefly forgotten, gave a smile and started closing the door. "I'll tell Iruka you stopped by."

Before he could close the door completely, Sasuke used his foot to stop it and pushed the door open again with his hand. Naruto looked with puzzled eyes at him.

"Was there anything else you needed?"

"You mean you're here alone?"

Naruto avoided those sharp eyes and darted his to the side. "….not...really….Iruka will be here soon, so no…"

And he wasn't lying, just his _'soon'_ stretched to a few more hours than the normal 'soon'.

"How soon?"

"Er….just soon. Now go away."

Again, he tried to force the door shut, but Sasuke refused to give in.

"Uzumaki, there is nothing in this world I hate more than lying. And you're obviously doing it, so it would be better for you to stop it."

For a brief second, Naruto felt his heart drop at the silly thought that he'd be hated. But he recovered quickly and wiped that ridiculous idea from his mind. Quickly, his mood switched to anger 'cause the other had no right to speak to him that way, and the last time he checked, they weren't exactly friends!

"What does it matter if I'm lying? You don't care!"

"It's true I don't care, but whether I like it or not, you did me a favor the other day. And I don't like owing people stuff, so I'll have to repay you, and this seems like a hell of a good time to do so."

Naruto felt his anger heat more at the words. "Don't worry; you don't need to repay me a fucking thing! I did it out of the kindness of my own heart, not a debt to your sorry ass!"

He pushed the door to close so hard this time that he felt a bit of guilt at the wince that left Sasuke's mouth since he was using his feet to stop the door from closing.

"Dammit Dobe! Would you cut it out already! If I said I'll repay it, means I'll repay it! Your opinion doesn't matter here!"

Naruto accidently tripped thus released his hold on the door and with the reverse force Sasuke was using, it flickered open hitting him hard on the head then sending him back on the ground, and if that wasn't enough, Sasuke's heavy body came stumbling over his. Naruto bit his lips at the pain that shot at every muscle in his body.

Recognizing the pain he'd caused, Sasuke quickly lifted himself off the other and closed the door.

"Are you alright?"

Naruto slapped the hand that was stretched to lift him up, and nursed the bulb that was already showing on his forehead. God, who did he hurt in his previous life to be cursed like this!

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, suddenly feeling something cool being put on his forehead. Naruto opened his eyes to see the handsome stoic face of his rival unfold before his eyes. He wanted to say something nasty and let the other get out of his house, but…feeling that cold handkerchief on his forehead and that calm darkness looking only at him was comforting in a weird way. So he decided to allow the raven to stay with him till he gets enough.

"Help me up."

Naruto raised his left hand so he could be hauled up with. But when he was lifted bridal style off the ground, his mouth was too shocked to decipher words.

"We don't know if you were harmed any where else with that fall, and I don't want to have to care for you till you heal from something I did, so stay still till I reach the living room. Your ass isn't exactly feathery light."

Naruto was lectured before he could open his mouth to object. He relaxed into the strong arms and let himself enjoy the short ride, if Sasuke was offering, he wouldn't be refusing.

Close to fifteen seconds later, he was dropped on the sofa.

"Stay here; I'll just go close my car and park it in a place that won't have me pay." Before he made his way to the front door, Sasuke raised his index finger warningly. "And don't go getting any funny ideas about locking me out either. I'll only find another way to get in."

Naruto stuck his tongue at the taller teen and laid back on the sofa as Sasuke disappeared from his sight. His ears picked the sound of car wheels getting closer to his house, and he snorted. Why did the ass who was only about seventeen years old have a car? Weren't there like rules to stop that from happening? He rolled his eyes at his own thoughts, rich people obviously played by different rules than them normal ones. And God how annoying that was.

The front door was opened and Naruto heard the steps of the black haired player as he returned to his sight again. He shot him an irritated look. Ignoring it, Sasuke sat on the opposite chair across from him.

"How are you feeling?"

"Like shit."

Sasuke put one leg over the other and crossed his hands. "I won't apologize; it's your stubbornness that caused this."

"And I didn't ask you to!"

"Then, where is Iruka-san and when is he coming back?"

Naruto sighed and flipped the handkerchief on the other side since it started to catch his body's temperature. "He had a meeting with three other writers, outta town. He went to discuss his next project with them. And should be back by tomorrow evening, that's why I said there is no need for you to stay."

"No, you said he'd come soon, tomorrow's evening isn't soon. Plus, I don't believe you'd be able to care for yourself in this condition. But, how did you get that cast anyway?"

Naruto snorted at the tone he was being addressed with but answered. "There is nothing more than I told you earlier, I was practicing a new jump I came up with today, and I misread the angle in which the ball should come down in, therefore, my body landed in the wrong manner and I fell on my right arm. Breaking it."

"Why would you want to develop a new jump?"

"I needed to get better, the Interhigh is coming and I didn't want to stay on the bench."

"Well now, you're staying on the bench."

"You don't have to rub it in my face; I'm already feeling bad about it."

Sasuke stood up. "Feeling bad is good, since it will make you think twice before doing stupid things."

"At least I make the time to come up with a stupid thing! Not like some other people who miss practice as much as they want without giving a damn about how that would affect other members!"

A deathly glare was given to Naruto making him gulp the air in his mouth.

"That's none of your business."

"You're right, it's none of my business where you vanish to, but don't skip practices!"

"Hn."

Naruto watched as he was calmly disregarded, and walked away from. He scowled at himself and brought the handkerchief that was cooling the bulb on his forehead to his sight. He kind of felt bad about wetting such a beautiful blue handkerchief and twirled it around to get a good look at it, three red roses were knit on the lower side of it and under them, the initials 'U.M.' were knitted with golden threads. As his fingers felt the smoothness of the silk, Naruto wondered who this 'U.M.' was. But it was Sasuke's, right? Shouldn't it then be 'U.S.' instead?

Leaving the wonder to later, his ears picked on a rustle that came from his right side, and his fascination turned to a frown. From where he was laying, he couldn't see where Sasuke had wandered off to, and not feeling like leaving a bastard to ruffle through his house, he slowly tried to get up. Pain shot through his system, forcing him to return back to his laying position the next second.

"Fuck! Now I can't even sit!"

"What are you cursing about?"

Sasuke came from behind him holding a wet towel and a bucket. Naruto raised a brow.

"What are you doing with those?"

"A stupid Dobe left a bottle of water to seep into the floor; I had to clean it up before it ruins the wood."

Sasuke went to the bathroom to dispose of the things he had in hand and returned to the living room, seeing Naruto try to get up and fail miserably, a smirk formed on his lips alongside the thought of how enthralling the Dobe looked vulnerable. Sasuke unbuttoned his thick jacket and placed it on the chair, thinking to get familiar later with Naruto's clothes hanger.

He went to the now pouting blond and helped him to a sitting position.

"You shouldn't be moving right now, since you fell hard on your back and you bumped your head. I'm not sure what happened."

"I'm not going to the hospital."

"And I'm not taking you, we'll wait till tomorrow, if you're not better by then, I'll take you. Screaming and kicking, I'll take you!"

Naruto blushed at the word that had a double meaning and kicked himself mentally at the nasty head he's got. It was all thanks to Iruka's perverted ex-lovers and the things they said at night. Damn them!

"ANYWAYS," Sasuke raised his voice to get the dazed attention back to him, once surprised blue orbs came to rest on his face, he continued. "You need to take a bath right now since you stink. But how can I get you out of these clothes with that cast on?"

Naruto's eyes widened when Sasuke's hand stretched to grasp the scissor on the table, he grabbed at his shirt trying to protect it.

"Don't even dare! This is my lucky T-shirt! I'd die before I let you cut it!"

"Then what do you suggest we do?" Sasuke crossed his arms at the silliness. "It obviously won't fit out of your hand 'cause the cast is blocking the way and I don't think it will magically enlarge so it can fit,"

"We…we'll find away."

"Find it soon because I'm not planning on spending the rest of the night with your stinking ass! You'll be taking the bath, even with your worn-out T-shirt on!"

Saying that Sasuke walked to the telephone not interested in what the blond had to say next. Naruto tried to eavesdrop on the conversation happening a few meters from where he sat, but he couldn't hear a thing. Believing it was best to cut on this bad habit that seemed to grow on him any time he would meet up with Sasuke, he tried to come up with a good way to get his T-shirt out without the need to cut it.

Sasuke came from the phone with a pissed off look on his face, and Naruto made the grave mistake of asking about it.

"Didn't your parents agree to you staying over?"

He felt his body freeze and cold chills run down his spine at the dark empty eyes. The air was tense for a while and Naruto knew that he'd stepped on a landmine without intending it. But what was wrong with the little question he was asking?

The sound of something being cut pulled his attention from spacing out and startled he pushed Sasuke away. Suddenly, he felt his body getting bare and the piece separating his warm skin from the cold fall on his stomach.

"W-Wha?"

"I told you to figure out away to remove it, and since you didn't." Sasuke shrugged and threw the scissor back to the table it was left on.

"You…..you…YOU FUCK! I'm soo killing you!"

Sasuke watched the pathetic fight Naruto was making with his body in order to get up and kill him as he so claimed.

"Oh relax; it was an old T-shirt, nothing with any real worth, I'll buy you another."

"Who are you to say it had no worth! It was my fucking lucky shirt!"

"As I said, I'll get you another, it's no big deal."

Making sure Naruto was worn-out with no energy left to fight; Sasuke made his way to him, and pulled the left arm on his shoulder. He held it steady with his right while his left arm circled Naruto's hip to get him out of the sofa and into the bathroom.

Naruto wanted to fight and push against the ass who had so swiftly cut the shirt he cherished for a long time and was always giving him the luck he needed, but the fragrance Sasuke wore was making him dizzy and all the energy in him seemed to evaporate with it.

"Sasuke….I think…am…"

Suddenly Naruto's feet that were helping Sasuke hold the body's weight stopped moving.

"Hey, what's wrong?"

"…...passing out."

Sasuke had to hold the blond so he didn't fall flat on his face, and slid the sudden weight softly to the ground. His eyes widened in fear but he calmed himself not to panic and to see what was going on with Naruto. His pale hand felt Naruto's forehead and found it already on fire. He released a loud sigh.

"Why did I have to come here today?"

Thinking not to dwell too much on his destiny, Sasuke lifted himself and the Dobe up then made his way up to Naruto's room. The bath just had to postpone.

* * *

"Yes, he fainted….can we not look into why I'm here and tell me what the fucking doctor told you! I'm calm!...okay, hmm…I don't see any bag here. Wait a sec," Sasuke hurried downstairs and began the search for the tablet's bag Neji spoke of. With a little more time than needed, Sasuke found it squashed between the TV and the wall. He raised a brow as to how it had gotten there but decided to ask Naruto about it later. "Yes, I found it. Ahaa….oh, so the doctor said that? Yes, he does have a fever….alright then, I'll talk to you later when he wakes up….no, he didn't….why don't you just get this shit outta him when he's awake!"

Sasuke cut the line on Neji's face and made another dash to the kitchen to get a glass of water for Naruto, then rushed back to his room. He didn't know why he was doing all of this, but that defenseless look Naruto gave him just before he passed out, was haunting his mind right now and no matter what, he couldn't shake it off. He went just in time to see Naruto gripping at the sheets with his left hand while his right lay helplessly at his other side.

Sasuke walked and sat on the bed beside him; he took two pills out and tried to force Naruto's mouth open so he could take them. But the blond shook his head the other way and slammed Sasuke's pill-filled hand away.

Reminding himself that Naruto was unconscious and this way just a way his body was protecting itself from the external world, Sasuke's nerves calmed. He decided to wait till Naruto's body stopped shivering to be able to give him the pills normally. But while he waited, he feared that the fever would get worse and Neji did say to give him the medicine as soon as possible. Sasuke bit his lips and swore at what he was going to do next; taking a little comfort in the fact that he was the only one watching.

He popped the two pills into his mouth, gave them a little water, and then started chewing. Their bitter taste made him cringe but he continued chewing. Once he made sure they had all been crushed, he pulled Naruto gently up and steadied his neck. Thinking that he was only doing this to repay his debt, Sasuke pulled those rosy lips apart and delivered a soft kiss to them.

He used his tongue to force the medication down Naruto's throat and didn't let go till he was sure Naruto had swallowed it all. Finished, he rushed to the bathroom to clean his mouth of what was left of the bitter medicine, but then remembered that Naruto was sweating like crazy in his clothes. So, searching the bathroom for towels to wipe Naruto's body with, Sasuke came out with three wet towels and a clean bucket. He sighed and rolled up his sleeves. Even though this was in fact his first time taking care of a sick person, he wondered why he knew how to do it so well. Maybe those health shows that he'd taken care in watching had finally paid off.

"I'm sorry…..please….forgive me….Papa….I'm sorry."

Sasuke's ears perked at the voice, thinking that Naruto had finally woken up, he hurried to the room. But when he entered he found the teen thrashing in his sleep with tears coming down his red feverish cheeks, Sasuke sighed at the still sleeping teen.

"I…didn't mean to…..please, don't go…..Mama!"

Putting the towels and the bucket aside, Sasuke took a good look at the obviously devastated blond. He brought a chair close and sat on it, watching keenly what was on Naruto's inner soul.

"Don't leave…..I'll be a good boy…so please…stay."

Naruto's body started sweating; Sasuke bent to take a towel and began wiping the sweat off Naruto's forehead, making sure not to drip water on the pillow. But God, the trashing Naruto was doing made that little task very hard to get done. Sasuke tried to steady him, because if he continued down this path, the cast wouldn't hold long.

"I don't want to be alone….please….don't leave me alone."

Sasuke's eyes widened at the words and an old flashback of a young boy holding onto his mother's casket refusing to let her go burned inside his head. Softly, he took Naruto's hand in his, surprised as to how cold it was. His emotionless eyes returned to Naruto and with his other hand he pushed the soft golden locks away from his face.

"You're not alone."

Sasuke whispered into the hot ear, hoping that _that_ gave Naruto some tranquility in his unconscious war.

Tearing blue orbs looked hazily at him. "Papa?"

"Who's your Papa, Dobe?"

The fluttering eyes closed shut again and just when Sasuke was starting to worry, the rhythmic breathing sounded to his ears and he released a comfortable sigh that he didn't notice he was holding.

Sasuke tried to wriggle his hand free so he could continue wiping Naruto's body, but the unexpectedly strong grip forbade him, and so, he went about wiping Naruto's body with only one hand. Cursing the blond for the fatigue that was sure to carry over his body the next morning.

* * *

Naruto blinked his eyes to get used to the sunrays that came beaming from the curtains, he tried to get up but his two hands were tied. He looked to his right remembering the dreadful events of yesterday, then looked at his left and slowly his eyes widened in surprise.

Sasuke Uchiha was sleeping soundly hunched on the bed with his pale hand entwined with his. Naruto felt his cheeks heat. Just what exactly had happened last night? Did he do something stupid in his sleep or what? He didn't know and for the love of him couldn't recall. The last thing he remembered was Sasuke cutting his favorite T-shirt and forcing him to go to the bathroom, and then…black. Nothing emerged, not even when he tried hard to remember.

Still, their position was a bit…um…intimate for their relationship. Naruto looked around his room to at least get some clues. He was again surprised to see the towels with the dirty bucket of water and the tablet's bag thrown on the floor; it all indicated how hard Sasuke must've tried to take care of him. He looked with soft eyes at the handsome raven laying with an uncomfortable position on his bed, not meaning to, his fingers clutched tenderly on Sasuke's, making the raven quiver his eyes awake.

"Hey there."

Naruto's smile was so bright it could blind. Sasuke quickly straightened up on the chair then pulled his hand free from the warm fingers, forcing a hurt expression to show momentarily on Naruto's face, then disappear the next minute.

"How are you now?"

"I'm good; my right arm still hurts, but…" Naruto shrugged. "I don't feel any pain when I sit up, so, it's good."

Sasuke's hand stretched to Naruto's forehead, he nodded to himself. "Seems like your fever is down, that's very good. What time is it?"

Naruto looked at his alarm clock and announced. "It's eleven thirty….sorry; I made you skip school with me."

"No need, I wasn't planning on going to school today anyway."

Sasuke stood from the small chair feeling his bones crack with each movement he made, so he started stretching his sleepy muscles.

"Umm….Sasuke,"

"Yeah?"

Naruto tried not to blush at those beautiful eyes and let the word out of his mouth without stuttering but it was a bit tough act to follow.

"Umm…..thank you."

The reaction he got though had him looking at the raven in a new light, for as soon as those words left his mouth, Sasuke's face turned beet red. Naruto gave the other an amused smile. Sasuke turned around quickly, trying to hide the embarrassment that suddenly flared in his face. It wasn't his first time being thanked. But Naruto's face when he thanked him was just too hypnotic for words.

"You don't need to thank me; I was just returning your favor. Anyhow, I'm going to wash up now."

Naruto, smiling, watched Sasuke run to the bathroom, he was getting giddy at seeing a different side of the bastard, and he liked this side more than the normal stuck up one. Hearing the shower flick on, Naruto's mind went out of his little Happy Land to thinking of getting some of the clothes that were extra large on him for Sasuke to wear, because as far as he knew, Sasuke didn't bring a change of clothes with him.

As he made his way out of bed, his eyes noticed again the towels lying in the forgotten bucket. And blushing he wondered just how much of his body did the other wipe with these.

* * *

Naruto was in awe to say the least, he knew that the raven was superior in almost every sport, but never in his wildest dreams did he think he was so good at cooking, as well. Naruto felt his mouth drool at the luscious meal placed before him and happily, he voiced his thoughts.

"Sasuke….this looks too delicious to eat!"

Sparkling eyes met him, and Sasuke nodded. He noticed by now how Naruto would turn into a kid on Christmas each time he was met with a food he liked, and that sparkling expression was growing on him.

"Although I feel complimented by your words, they are silly, regardless of how neat a meal looks; if it's not eaten it would lose all its charm, so eat up."

Naruto nodded like crazy and started digging in. "Wonderful!"

Sasuke let a tiny smile rest on his lips as he sipped his coffee. "Better than Iruka-san's?"

The blue eyed teen blinked with the spoon in his mouth and his brows knotted as he started seriously comparing the two.

Upon the serious mixtures of emotions running on Naruto's face, Sasuke sighed. "Relax; I'm just pulling your leg."

"Oh then good, 'cause it would be very hard to compare. Iruka's dishes are amazing, but yours…they are wonderful."

"I don't see the comparison here. Do you mean you like mine better?"

Naruto shook his head. "No, I mean, they are all very delicious! You have your touch and Iruka has his. But they are all A-class dishes."

Sasuke rolled his eyes at the indecisive blond before him. "Stop exaggerating, Dobe."

"I'm not."

"Hn."

Sasuke continued eating with the occasional sipping of his coffee every now and then. He had suggested he pour the blond some, but Naruto declared he hated the substance and wanted juice instead. Really, he didn't know how such an amazing beverage would come to be hated. But then again, children always liked sweet stuff.

When he was in the shower, he'd forgotten that he didn't bring a change of clothes and was in a bit of a pinch as to what to do. But then Naruto opened the door and quickly slipped him some clothes and then closed it. Sasuke didn't know the reason for the rush since they both were guys, but he left the blond to what was making him comfortable. Still, as he got out all dressed and clean, a different problem faced him, how would Naruto take a bath with his arm? He came up with the solution to tie a plastic bag over the cast, and the trick was to find the right size for Naruto's arm amongst the many bags Iruka left in the kitchen. Luckily, he didn't have to search long.

After, he left Naruto in the warm shower water and went to start making breakfast. Just when he began peeling onions, a loud thud came from above him. Startled as to what may have happened; Sasuke left the onions and ran upstairs.

He found Naruto lying in the bathtub with water pouring all over him. Sasuke felt a headache forming at the pained expression on Naruto's face. Walking in with the thought of saving time, Sasuke helped the blushing idiot bathe and get dressed. They went with a low cut T-shirt that wouldn't hurt Naruto when he tried to take it off and a pair of black baggy pants.

Sasuke sighed into his coffee and tried not to recall anymore of the problems that faced him this morning.

"Sasukeeeeeeeeeee!"

He blinked at the shouting blond. "What?"

Naruto pouted and put his undamaged hand on the table protesting. "What were you thinking about! I've been calling for ages now!"

Sasuke smirked. "I was thinking of the idiot who slipped in the bathtub and hurt his balls."

Naruto's face started getting red. He knew that when Sasuke had opened that door and found him in that embarrassing position, he'd come to tease him about it sooner or later, but he wanted to think it would be later. Damn him for believing that Sasuke would cut him some slack –since he was injured– and forget about the whole incident.

Naruto avoided those ridiculing eyes at all costs and tried to explain himself. "I didn't slip on my own, you know! It was because I used too much soap."

"And who told you to use too much soap?"

Naruto fumbled with the food in his plate. "I just wanted to finish shower fast enough and help you make breakfast."

At the cute explanation, Sasuke decided to hold off the line of his teasing, a bit. "Well, we established one thing today,"

"Which is?"

His smirk turned sinister. "Even when you're trying to be thoughtful, you're hopeless."

Naruto puffed his cheeks at the tease. "Ass, see if I intend to help you again!"

"You know that your decision to not help me is in fact helping me?"

"No, I don't! Now, shut up and let me finish my food in peace." Pouting Naruto finished.

"Fine by me, it was you who started the conversation in the first place."

At this, Naruto remembered the reason he had screamed for the other's attention. Brushing the teasing that had taken place a few seconds ago aside, he said, "Say, how long will you stay here today?"

Sasuke put the empty mug of coffee down and stood up, holding his empty dish. "Till Iruka-san comes back. Once he comes and takes you off my shoulders, my debt will be cleared."

Getting reminded again that this was something to just repay a debt, had a sad expression befell Naruto face. It was fine before to not be friends because he didn't know Sasuke too well, but now, coming to see different sides of the stoic bastard had him wishing for them to really become close friends. But he knew that that was close to impossible, so, he didn't want to lose this little thing that was going on between them.

Naruto's face twisted with a bit of a hope as he came to the conclusion that it was fine to not be friends with Sasuke, as long as the raven maintained the same amount of contact they have now and not drift further away from him.

Sasuke raised a brow at the sudden gloominess that fell on the human opposite him. Not wishing for this to stretch any longer, he flicked Naruto on the forehead.

"Whatever you're thinking, stop it."

"Huh..."Stunned at being caught, Naruto quickly switched to a smile."I wasn't thinking about anything."

Sasuke exhaled the toxic air out of his lungs then sat down. "I'm not forcing you tell, so don't lie. And finish your food; I need to wash the dishes."

The blond felt his heart thump and his fake smile drop. "Yeah….sorry."

"It's good as long as it doesn't happen again. Finish so I can wash."

"You don't have to really; Iruka will do them once he gets back."

"I bet he'll be too tired to move, let alone clean the dishes." Sasuke took a deep inhale of his cigarette then huffed it out.

Naruto frowned at the polluted air that was blown on his face every passing minute and waved it away with his hand.

"Sasuke, if you want me to finish eating, then throw that thing away! It's kinda hard to eat with it blocking my nostrils,"

"How the hell is it blocking your nostrils?"

"It is! I can't breath right with it, so throw it away!"

Sasuke rolled his eyes at swift-moods-changing-irrational blond and stood up. "I'll go smoke outside, then. You'd better be finished when I get back."

Naruto watched the retreating back of his Senpai, sighing at the raging emotions inside him that he couldn't name till now, he continued eating.

* * *

Naruto had to brace himself not to collapse at the pink haired girl that came falling on him. He winced at her tight hug and tried to wriggle his way out of her death grip, which was done in vain.

Noticing that she was in fact hurting her best friend instead of helping him, Sakura stepped away with a worried look on her face.

"Sorry…."

Getting his breathing straight once again, he waved her off. "It's nothing, I'm good."

"Oh Naruto! I just heard about the news. How are you feeling so far?"

Naruto smiled at her and stepped away so she could make her away inside the house. "I'm good, but my arm is still itching every now and then."

"I see." She sighed. "When Lee-san told me you've been injured I flew here. Why didn't you tell me? Iruka has been away, right? So you had no one to take care of you last night. I would have come to help!"

Sakura told herself not to get angry at the foolish blond, because it was his habit not to trouble others with his problems, but she was hurt, because she thought that she was a bit special to him, not like everyone else. She'd thought that Naruto didn't need to hide stuff like this from her anymore, but it seemed like she was gravely mistaken.

"I'm sorry, Sakura-chan. It all happened too fast for me to tell anyone."

"You did call Iruka, right?"

"Yes. The hospital insisted on contacting my guardian, since they needed him for the paperwork."

"I bet if they didn't, you would have just waited till he got here and found out about it himself."

Sheepishly, Naruto scratched the back of his head. "There was no need to trouble him, since I'm already okay. And you know how Iruka gets when he's worried. I just didn't want him to freak out over nothing."

Sakura placed her backpack on the chair beside her and took a seat close to Naruto.

"It's not nothing, Naruto! You broke your freaking arm!"

"A minor fraction, in fact. And it will heal in less than half a month." He lied to assure her.

"That's not the point. You may think that you are saving troubles for people when you don't say anything, but truthfully, you're just hurting them. I have known you long enough, Naruto, and you don't even bother to tell me something like this, letting me find out from a stranger! Even if it wasn't a big deal it affects you, my best friend! I should be the first person you call!"

Naruto looked at the girl apologetically and put his healthy hand on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Sakura. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings, but it really did happen too fast, I wasn't aware most of the time but it's still no excuse, I'm very sorry…I'll make sure to tell you ahead of time, next time."

She looked with serious eyes at him. "You promise?"

"Yeah, I promise."

The aching look in her eyes started to disappear and she gave a smile. "I'm really glad it wasn't something serious."

"Yeah, me too. And by the way, you said that Thick Eyebrows told you where I am, how do you know him?"

"Oh, yesterday after I finished my club activities, I decide to go check on yours. But there were only three players, a beautiful Bishie, Gaara, and Lee-san….I wanted to ask Gaara but he seemed to be in an intense practice with the Bishie, so...I asked Lee-san, he introduced himself and told me about what had happened to you."

"Ahaa….Did you see how weird he talks! His weirdness exceeds mine!"

Sakura rolled her jade eyes. "He isn't all that bad, just extra enthusiastic about life and youth, nothing wrong with that."

"Say what you want, but that dude is weird!"

"Alright, enough speaking ill about people, I'm going to make you something to eat 'cause I know you haven't eaten since yesterday."

Naruto stopped her with a shy smile. "In fact, I did eat."

Sakura's eyes turned horrific and the color drained from her face. "Naruto…you….you….you cooked!"

At the reaction, he puffed his cheeks, just because the last time he cooked the kitchen caught on fire and they needed to redo their dinning room didn't mean that every time he cooks something will burn!

"No, I didn't…"

Sakura released a loud sigh. "Thank God~ my heart was going to stop there for a sec."

"You don't have to be so relieved."

"But I'm, I don't want to enter into another firefighter episode starring you, the arsonist! But," Her brows knotted. "If you didn't cook, who did?"

Naruto grinned up at her. "Sasuke."

Sakura looked to the smiling idiot with blank eyes for a while. She blinked, three times then the knot on her brows deepened causing her to decide on checking again because she might have heard wrong.

"Who?"

"Uchiha Sasuke."

"The Ice Prince?"

"Yep!"

Sakura took a deep breath then sat down. "Naruto….are you sure the medicine they gave you doesn't make you hallucinate? 'Cause it would be very realistic since you've been agonizing about him for a while now."

He rolled his eyes at her explanation. "Sakura, I'm not hallucinating. He came yesterday to return Iruka's dish and well, he just decided to take care of me on his own."

"Why would Uchiha Sasuke, the Basketball star and the dream of every girl, be wanting to take care of you?"

"He isn't God, you know. And what is that supposed to mean? Am I not good enough for him to take care of me!"

"No, that wasn't what I meant. But as I've gathered, you two weren't exactly the warmest of friends there are, and in fact, he doesn't even like you as you've said. Why would he be willing to go out of his way and start caring for you when he doesn't even like to be around people? It's just a bit of an odd possibility to me, Naruto."

"Oh God, Sakura!" Naruto stood up dragging his best friend to the yard. "Come!"

Not wanting to yank her hand thus casing Naruto to fall and harm himself further, Sakura let him drag her to see the end of his hallucinations. But, as the image of her Prince Charming was revealed to her, standing beside Iruka's beautiful garden and letting the sun bask him with its bright light, her eyes widened to Naruto's hallucination.

"I'm….dreaming."

Naruto rolled his eyes. "No, you're not! Sasuke, I need you to meet someone!"

The raven threw the dead cigarette under his feet then killed it; he released the smoke out of his lungs and turned to the blond calling. Seeing a foreign pink haired hazy looking girl beside Naruto with her hand inside Naruto's palm sent something to jolt inside him, he didn't know what it was, but it pissed him off.

"What?"

Naruto walked out holding Sakura's hand. "This is my best friend, Haruno Sakura."

At the attentive eyes studying her every curve, Sakura blushed heavenly. She didn't think she'd ever have a chance to meet the magnificent Uchiha Sasuke, but now, here she was being introduced to him by her best friend, oh how much she thanked God that she befriended Naruto that day.

"N-Nice to meet you…"

Forcing her hand to stop shaking, she extended it.

"Humph…" Sasuke ignored the hand and walked opposite from them inside the house. "There is no pleasure knowing a C-Cupped chick."

Naruto send an apologetic look to the petrified girl standing beside him hoping that it would help her, he knew that Sasuke was an ass, but come on! There was no need to shut Sakura out like that! He marched behind the retreating raven. Catching him when he was taking Naruto's dishes to the sink with another cigarette already lit on his lips

"Hey! That wasn't a way to treat her!"

"I have no interest of being the escort for her love fantasies."

Naruto tailed behind him to the kitchen. "Escort for her love fantasies?"

Sasuke puffed the smoke and started washing the dishes. "Her eyes were getting dreamy; I bet she had already played our love story in her head and how the bells will ring in our wedding. Girls like that are just a pain in the ass."

Naruto felt his anger flare at the way this jerk was speaking about his best friend. "Oh stop flattering yourself already! Not every female on earth is after your ass!"

"That one is."

"No she isn't! Sakura would never stoop so low as to think of someone like you!"

Sasuke felt that pissed off feeling increase with Naruto's sentence. He turned off the running water, dried his hands and gave his full attention to the idiot blond.

"Too bad she goes for the lowlives, what are you going to do about it?"

At the sharp eyes watching him, Naruto found himself suddenly turning very weary. "I'll stop her! Sakura is far superior than to think of dating you!"

"Oooh," Sasuke came closer to the blond, he made sure Naruto had no way out and trapped him between the fridge and his body. "Am I detecting some unresolved feelings here?"

Naruto used his left hand to push the firm chest away. "What feelings are you talking about? Move away!"

"It's no good trying to hide. I can smell it!" He lowered his head to whisper inside Naruto's ears. "The longing, the want, the desire. You want to rip her clothes off and violate her, thrust deep inside her while she cries for you to do it harder."

"What the hell! "

"You can deny it as much as you want, but I know….you're not as much of a saint as you want her to think."

"S-Stay away." The lazy push did nothing to make the other move.

Sasuke lowered his left hand and cupped Naruto's crotch. "You're already getting excited. What a slutty body. And you call me lowlife."

When his blood rushed to northern regions at the faint fumble, Naruto woke up from the trace the hand fondling his growing erection was giving and pushed with all his might on Sasuke's chest sending the raven to stumble three steps backwards.

"I said to stay the fuck away!"

Sasuke gave him a hard look then turned on his heels heading to the door.

"I will, but don't regret this action of yours later on."

Naruto watched the raven walk away from him and unconsciously slid down to the ground, feeling as if something he wasn't familiar with had finally started.

* * *

Naruto lay on his bed and buried his head in his pillow; Sakura had accompanied him for three hours after Sasuke left. It was a bit awkward at the beginning, and he sensed something off with his friend. But he didn't say anything about it. If she wanted him to know, she would tell him. He left her be. It was in fact three very hard hours, because Sakura had brought him her notes and the homework that he needed to do, then forced him to do it. Naruto was able to use both of his hands in writing, but his right one was better than his left. And so, most of the words he wrote seemed as if a sixth grader had done them.

He snorted at himself and turned to his right. Sasuke had done a good job in cleaning his room. Naruto wondered where the raven knew how to do chores so well. The last time he checked, Sasuke was supposed to be some rich spoiled kid who couldn't even fend for himself if needed….

"But he isn't."

Naruto closed his eyes and swiftly his mind started replaying the events this shocking afternoon had held, he blushed. Why did he have to react that way? There were better ways to control that situation. But when Sasuke was about to unzip his pants, he was sent to panic. Yes, he'd seen his guardian jerk off with his boyfriends many times and had a solid idea how sex between two guys was to happen but, why would Sasuke be wanting to give him a hand-job?

Which led him to thinking about the stuff that came out of Sasuke mouth. His deep crush on Sakura. He bit the inside of his gum. Naruto had buried that emotion long ago, deep inside his soul and swore never to confess to her. Because he knew she didn't view him that way, and he didn't want to lose the beautiful friendship they had going on. But dammit! How could the ass dig something that he made sure not to show so easily and speak about it as if Sakura was nothing more than a sex whore!

"Aghhh…he makes me soo frigging mad!"

Fast footsteps made their way to Naruto's ears, he was about to get out of bed to check what was happening when the door to his room suddenly swung open revealing a panicked Iruka.

"Naruto! Oh my God, Naruto! You're alright, right? Tell me you're alright! Oh please, Lord!"

Getting jolted from his inner thoughts to the brunet, Naruto waved his hands to calm him down. "Relax, Iruka. Nothing's wrong. I'm perfectly fine. It's a small fraction, I'm fine, I'm fine!"

Naruto had to repeat those sentences a few more times 'till Iruka's brain finally calmed down enough to decipher them.

"I tried to take a flight back here but there weren't any, so, I had to drive. Gosh, I knew I should have called this meeting off for a few more days!"

"Nah, even if you've pushed it back, you'd still have to leave me with a broken arm. Just relax Iruka. I wasn't alone when it happened, and didn't stay the night alone either."

Iruka made his way beside Naruto and released a big sigh after inspecting the cast.

"Did Sakura-chan come?"

"Not Sakura, Sasuke."

"Oh, I knew that boy was good the minute I laid eyes on him. But thank God you're well."

Naruto was taken into a tender hug as those warm arms circled him from all the misfortune that came his way. He smiled into the embrace. Since he was little, his favorite thing about Iruka was his hug. The way he would always pet him tenderly on the back and let him rest his head on the warm chest, the warmest he'd ever experienced. They stayed a few minutes then Iruka moved away.

"When the hospital called, I saw only black…I thought I'd lost you a second time. My heart almost stopped beating."

Naruto's eyes turned soft, he tried to give his father the most comfortable smile he could ever come up with and said, "I was freaked out in the beginning myself, even went into shock for fifteen minutes, but when I got to the hospital and the doctor explained to me what was really wrong, I calmed down then."

"Yeah, what did the doctor say?"

"He said that I fractured my Ulna, it will need two and a half weeks to heal right. But besides that, I'm perfectly fine."

Iruka sighed again, and Naruto gave him a smile.

"You sure nothing else is wrong?"

"Well, I did develop a fever, but the doctor said that it would happen, since my body is trying to heal."

"And Sasuke was the one tending to you?"

"Seems like it."

"Then I really need to thank him properly. Is he still around?"

Naruto shook his head. "He left this afternoon once Sakura came to visit."

"You know, I called Kakashi to come here and not leave you alone, but he was visiting a friend and wasn't able to come, so I was extra worried about you being alone."

A chill run down Naruto spine. "Eww….I prefer to die of fever than having that pig take care of me!"

Iruka slapped him on the hand, and with serious eyes, he warned, "I don't ever want to hear you say that again!"

Naruto knew that he'd gone a bit too far this time at the distant tears that were threatening to fall down his guardian's eyes. He beat himself mentally, how could he be so stupid to wish for himself to die around Iruka. The brunet had always placed his health above all others and Naruto knew how hard he'd fought with the ghosts of the past to keep him safe all these years.

"I'm sorry, won't happen again."

Iruka pulled his son into another hug, but this time, he made sure the air inside Naruto's lungs was squashed out perfectly.

* * *

**Done~ what do you think? =3 Review & Review. I'll be waiting your opinions.**


	4. Chapter Four

**Author's Notes:**

**Thank you all for your beautiful reviews! I'm sorry for the delay, there were some technocologies. But everything is well now! *Grins*. A major thanks to my amazing Beta, Missbip0lar, for her work. And I'd leave you all now to enjoy this chapter! It's my personal favorite, so far anyway.**

* * *

Naruto stuffed the blue handkerchief deep inside his pocket and looked with uncertain eyes to the raven dribbling the ball across the court. As his eyes watched the smooth moves replay, he released a sigh. Sasuke was really amazing, his skills and strategies have made the desire to win in the other players die down. And even though Shikamaru and Neji weren't playing, they had already scored a win. It was in fact a gift game, given to the first years to check their progress and how they'd perform in an on-spotlight actual game, of course with Sasuke as to insure the wining. He bit his lips, if only he wasn't holding a broken arm, he'd have been there with them, sharing the lights instead of cheering like a helpless fool on the benches.

A slap on his back pulled him out of his self-pity to the teen sitting beside him; he turned to find an obviously unhappy Neji glaring at him.

"Naruto! We are entering the fourth quarter now and I've not heard your voice come out this whole damn time! Don't think just because you're now sitting on a bench that you can't do anything for the team! They need our voices to support them, so let your voice out this instant! Cheer!"

Naruto gave his Senpai an apologetic smile and with a head shake to his inner-agony, he started cheering. As he did so, the players sitting beside him began to cheer louder. Naruto felt a sense of comfort wash over him at their support and silently, he sent Neji a thanks. Even if he wasn't playing right now, in two weeks, he would be. There was nothing to feel down about.

Of course, their team won one hundred and five to eighty seven. It was a slam dunk victory in which they decided to celebrate to. Their next match was the day after tomorrow, and with their spirits in the sky, they were sure they'd win it, too. Clearly, they needed to beat three opponents out of five to get qualified to the semi-finals. This was their first game; they still had four more to go. And although they came as the runner-ups in last year's Interhigh, Naruto was sure they'd get first place this year. 'Cause second just wouldn't do.

The cold night's air hit the players as they stepped outside the big stadium.

"Alright everyone, get into the van. We're going to the hotel that I told you about."

Naruto looked at the Chinese girl holding the charts, he'd come to learn her name to be Tenten, she was their supposed manager. Apparently, she was hospitalized for an injury that she'd gotten in her track team, and that's why he didn't meet her when he first enlisted. Naruto thought that she was a nice girl, but would turn into a demon at practice. There were times that he thought he'd seen her horns poking out of her head alongside the fork she used to poke their asses with. She was one fierce and scary girl in his opinion.

Naruto followed his other teammates inside the van and it started rolling. He noted the absence of Neji and Sasuke, then shrugged it the next second. Right now, the last person he wanted to see was Sasuke, and it had nothing to do with the incident that had happened between them a while ago. No, it was because he was too chicken to face the raven, and thinking of him didn't help in the fact that he was trying to avoid him. Naruto sighed.

"Naruto, hey, listen, I need a favor."

Naruto turned his head from the window to the red-haired sitting beside him, he smiled at his friend. "Anything I can help with."

"Great! I want you to switch beds with me tonight."

Puzzled at the request, he knotted his brows. "Is there something wrong with your bed?"

"Naaah, it's just…." Gaara frowned and sat right on the tight chair, cursing his manager for getting them such a tight van. "This will be my first night here, and I just know that Neji is up to something. He was smiling too much today, nothing good happens when Neji smiles."

"Aren't you being overly suspicious? I don't think he'd do anything to you here, we're out of his territory."

"You don't know him as I do, so please leave the judging up to me."

Naruto rolled his eyes. "Okay, let's say he is up to something, what could he possibly do in a hotel room with me rooming three meters away from your bed?"

"A lot! So, will you switch with me or not?"

"If it's bothering you so much, sure, nothing forbids it."

Gaara released a sigh. "Thank you, I hope with this, I can be saved."

Naruto gave the other a compassionate look and hoped for whatever their beautiful Senpai was plotting to not hurt Gaara too much, for after all, they still needed him for their next match.

* * *

The rest of the evening was peaceful. They reached the hotel, glad to see it was as Tenten had described, nice, fashionable, old and cozy. The group had their dinner in peace and each two were taken to their assigned room after. One room had three players because Tenten refused to share hers with a guy. And of course, not wanting the wrath to fall on him, Lee took his stuff and went to bunk in Shikamaru and Kankuro's room. Before she could go to sleep, Tenten slipped a training paper under the rooms of her players, reminding them verbally that they'd need to wake up at seven exactly to start the training. The guys who played the game groaned but kept it quiet; knowing that if she heard them, whatever exercises she had in mind would triple.

Naruto turned on the lights and put his sports bag on the comfortable bed that had the label 'Gaara' on it then took a seat.

"I'm not sure why I'm here….I can't play yet."

"But you're still a member of the team; we couldn't just dump you there."

"Guess not, but it's boring. You guys can go do all these wonderful exercises while I'm just left to study basketball on TV."

"Well, those are the orders; you can go negotiate with Tenten if you like."

Naruto's face twisted in despair. "No thank you, I want to see the light of tomorrow."

"I thought you might, too. Anyways, I'll go take a shower before I sleep, you coming?"

"Nah~ go ahead, with this arm it takes me a while to be able to shower right."

Gaara smiled at his friend and slipped out the door. Naruto threw himself on the bed and closed his eyes. It was a very exhausting day. Sure he didn't really play, but screaming and shouting was really taking a toll on him, he didn't know that it was this tiring to scream your lungs dry till he did it. But….his left hand felt the inside of his pocket; he brought the beautifully designed handkerchief to his line of sight, and smiled at it remembering its owner.

Sasuke had looked marvelous today. Naruto wasn't counting from the start, but from the time he started, the raven alone had scored close to forty five points. Such amazing skill, he felt bad knowing that this year would be its last time getting showed to public.

He still didn't know of the reason that Sasuke was quitting basketball, and he wanted to find out. But, he wasn't ready for a face-off just yet. That day, when Iruka had came back and started cleaning; he came across Sasuke's handkerchief. Naruto was a bit happy to have something of the raven's 'cause now he had a reason to go see him, but as many chances as he'd had to just walk right up to Sasuke and hand it to him, his feet refused to budge. He knew that if he did, there would cease to be something that connected them together, and he didn't want to see that happen.

Naruto sighed and returned the handkerchief to his left pocket. This wasn't a matter that needed to be solved right this instant. He had more important things to do, like changing.

Just when he took off his low cut shirt, the door to his room flung open revealing his grinning Senpai. Naruto sweat dropped.

"If you're looking for Gaara, he's already left."

"Oh cute Naru-chan no, I'm not looking for that big bad wolf, I'm looking for you~"

Neji closed the door behind him and made his way towards the now seriously confused blond.

"Me? What for?"

"I want to make a little deal with you."

"A deal?"

"Yep, I want you to trade rooms with me; this shall go undetected to Tenten's ears, of course. And in return, I'll tell you anything you want to know about Sasuke."

Naruto's eyes got excited for a second at the sentence but then returned to their normal size when he remembered just who he was with.

"What makes you think I want to know anything about him?"

"Oh nothing, just the fact that you stare at him almost every second of every practice we have."

Naruto turned his head away from the observant raven blushing.

"T-That's not true."

"AHA! Just now you stuttered! Stuttering is the first proof that you're lying….you know, I'm the only one who knows almost everything about Sasuke. After all, I have been with him since we were kids and through Middle School years and I was the one who recruited him for this school. Even if you search, you'll never find a better information center than me."

The tempting lilac orbs were drawing him; Naruto's mouth opened to approve, for this was a chance presenting itself to him, but….

"I'm sorry, Senpai." He winced at his own words. "Even though I really, really want to take you up on that offer, I can't. Nothing I learn on my own will do, he needs to tell me stuff about himself on his own. If not, it doesn't matter to me."

"You sure about that?"

"Yes."

"One hundred percent sure?"

"Yes."

"Nothing would change your mind?"

"For God's sake, yes! So drop it, Senpai!"

Neji sighed and returned a stray hair back to the place it dropped from when he sighed. "I didn't want to do this, but you're leaving me no choice here."

"Do what?"

"Seeing as you've refused my first offer, there is a second one but it's not much of an offer. If you refuse to trade rooms with me, I'll make sure you're not to play in any game after your arm heals, and make no mistakes Naruto, I can pull you off the team with a flick of my finger."

Horrified eyes faced him. "You wouldn't!"

"Wouldn't I? I save no means to get my prize. It's up to you to decide your basketball future."

It didn't take long for Naruto to crack after that, and as he packed his stuff to go to Neji's room, he sent a silent apology to his red haired ex-roommate. Gaara was in for a hell of a ride, he prayed silently for him not to be eaten whole since the devil was now tailing him with all his fangs bare.

Room thirteen. That was the room Neji told him he should go to. Although Neji didn't tell him who he was rooming with, Naruto thought it to be Shikamaru. Wasn't it kinda obvious for the Captain and the Vice- Captain to room together? Not wanting to come off as impolite, he knocked on the door.

There was no answer for five minutes, and Naruto was really getting tired of waiting. He calmly checked the knob and it was open, he turned it and sure thing, the door opened. Naruto was shocked for a minute at finding the sleeping form of Sasuke splayed on one of the beds. As the door behind him started squeaking to close, Sasuke started moving. Swiftly, Naruto was jolted out of his shock to close the door more quietly and not wake the sleeping raven. Happy that the obviously exhausted player didn't wake up, he made his way to the bed that was supposed to be his.

Getting switched into his sleep clothes was his next step. Carefully, Naruto pulled his shirt over his head and pulled a comfortable one on his bare chest. Next was the big problem, unbuckling and getting his pants off with one hand. It was a fight, a tough one at that in which he had to remain silent. But he did it; he gritted his frustration and was able to get the jeans off. Reminding himself mentally to switch to baggy pants from now on. No matter how uncool he looked in them, they were hell of a lot easier to take off compared to these damn jeans.

When done, he pulled the handkerchief out of his pocket and placed it under his pillow, this time, he was sure to return it to its owner….just not now, but first thing in the morning. With that scheme in mind, Naruto postponed the thought of showering to the next day –he wasn't all that dirty, turned off the lights, put a blanket over Sasuke and surrendered to sweet sleep.

He was unaware of the black orbs that glittered in the shadows watching him with a puzzled expression.

* * *

Gaara told himself he was becoming a lot like what Naruto had said, overly suspicious, and paranoid. But through his shower, he couldn't shake off the feeling that there was something that he wouldn't like waiting for him in his room. He swallowed hard and took an extra long time showering, just to avoid getting to his room and facing whatever his stomach was doing flip-flops for. Still, it was inevitable for this to happen, if there was anything bad waiting for him, then he'll face it like a man.

He shook at the notion.

As he neared the door to his room, he told himself to stop with this childish fear and just go to sleep, that the smile on Neji's face meant nothing. Oooh how much he wished to be one of those people who lie and believe their own lies right now.

With shaking hands, Gaara opened the door, and at that moment, he felt his stomach drop.

"What took you so damn long! I was getting tired already."

"Wha…." Gaara took three deep breaths then found his voice. "What are you doing here!"

Neji smirked. "I'm your new roommate. Naruto switched with me…"

Gaara swallowed the sudden lump that appeared in his throat, but it refused to budge. "How did you do it? Tenten clearly clarified that no rooms are to get exchanged!"

"What she doesn't know won't hurt her. Just come inside, I won't bite….well not much anyway."

As he made his way to his bed, Gaara cursed Naruto. "That traitor, I can't believe he sold me out like that!"

"If it's any condolences, it was either you or his basketball future. He went for the latter."

"Tsk, that's an obvious bluff, no matter how rotten you are….and make no mistakes you're a bad apple to the core, you'd never pull something as cheap as that."

Neji left his bed and walked to the other smiling. "Yes, but he doesn't know that. And I'm sure you won't want him to get hurt. 'Cause even if I can't pull him out the team, I can still hurt a bone or two in his body."

Gaara didn't fight the tender hands cupping his face, nor the soft kiss to his lips.

"Why are you doing this?"

Neji put his hands on Gaara's neck and pulled him closer to his face. "Isn't it obvious? Because I love you."

"Love doesn't do this."

"Mine does. And I'll do everything I can to make sure you know that."

Neji pushed Gaara on the bed then climbed on top of him.

"I'm dead tired, Neji."

"No you're not. What do you think all my hard training to improve your stamina was for?"

Gaara gritted his teeth at the teen undressing above him. "Basketball!"

"Yeah, that's one. But my real goal was this."

"Sex?"

"Not just any sex, sex with me! Delicious hardcore sex! You'll need all the stamina in the world to satisfy me."

Putting his pale hands on his face to hide his frustrated features, Gaara spoke. "Regardless, I can't move a muscle, did you forget that you had me training like a freaking dog last night and before the game had started!"

Neji brushed the sentence aside and started removing Gaara's shirt off his body, exposing the pale flesh beneath.

"Gaara, didn't you know that the sweetest sex you can ever get is when you're extremely exhausted?"

"Where the hell did you hear that bull from! Besides, in this condition, I can't even get it up!"

Smirking at the obvious challenge, Neji slipped one of his hands inside Gaara's boxers, while his other hand started playing with the soft red locks –Gaara's sensitive spot. It didn't take long for the member in Neji hands to come to life and his smirk turned to a tease.

"Who said he can't even get it up?"

"That 'cause you're touching!"

"So….if anyone touches you, you get hard?"

With that lusty expression and those sexy eyes watching him, Gaara lost it and walked right into the tarp that was perfectly made for him.

"I'll pound you so hard; you won't be able to get outta bed tomorrow!"

Neji laughed and let the red haired take the lead, for after all, he wasn't about to ruin his perfect basketball fingers in sex when there was someone out there who was ready to walk him into elegant hard-core ecstatic sex without him moving a muscle.

"Yay, that's my Gaara~"

And no matter what the other guys have heard that night coming from the room next door, none had the courage to go and question the two teens.

* * *

Naruto yawned and stretched his left arm to remove what was left of his sleepiness away, he looked to his right ready to meet with those beautiful sharp eyes but no one was there. His eyes switched to the alarm clock presented on the nightstand beside his bed. It read ten thirty five AM. Remembering the paper that was passed to them by Tenten the previous night, he slumped back on bed. Sure thing Sasuke would have gone to training by now and with his broken arm, he wasn't enlisted with the rest of the players.

Naruto sighed and got out the bed, shuffled through his bag and got out a change of clothes along with his toothbrush and headed towards the bathrooms. The only things that this nice hotel didn't have were bathrooms in every single room. They were made together in another section. Naruto rubbed the drowsiness out of his eyes and decided to explore his way to the bathrooms. But, he didn't have to stray long, for he ran into another member of his club.

"Kiba! What are you doing here?" At the hasty look, the ruffled bed hair, Naruto understood. "You slept in late."

"That stupid ass Shino! He just left me there without fucking waking me up!"

"There are alarm clocks in the rooms, you know."

"Alarm clocks are useless to me. Their sound doesn't wake me."

"Maybe Shino didn't know."

"Oh he knows, believe me the fuck knows! Aghhh! Sorry Naruto, I need to rush in now!"

Naruto nodded and watched the late brunet run for his life, he didn't blame him one second, for Tenten's punishment for tardiness is hell. He reached the bathrooms, took his time and then headed down to the restaurant to get some breakfast. Unfortunately, Tenten had a special menu for them to eat, and his had nothing that he'd call delicious. Not being able to change the order since Tenten would find out and then his head would turn up on a stick somewhere, he said his thanks and started digging in, grimacing at the tasteless, flavorless breakfast.

Finished, he pulled the handkerchief from his pocket and decided that today and right now, he'd go search for the raven and give him his handkerchief back, and perhaps catching him in a nice mood so they could speak some more and Sasuke would see that them being friends wasn't really a bad thing. He hoped.

His feet took him to the training center Tenten had also reserved for her team, he got in and soon the sounds of his teammates being tortured came to his ears. He followed the stench of agony to locate them. As he opened the doors, he was greeted with his red haired friend glaring daggers at him. Naruto cringed and sent him an apology sign then swiftly made his way towards their calm Captain; Gaara won't kill him if there were witnesses around, right?

"Yo, Captain, how have you been?"

"The same as last night. What are you doing here?"

"Can't I come watch practice like any normal player?"

"No you can't, you're banned from here and from touching any ball till your arm heals."

"I know, but I got bored! Just let me do some training with my left arm!"

"No. The doctor clearly said to rest from any type of sport, and last time I checked, basketball was a sport. I'm not about to jeopardize the time required for you to get well by unnecessary training."

"It is necessary; I'll be a total failure if I just sit on my ass for three whole weeks!"

"Two and a half. Learn patience, Naruto. You don't want to extend the deadline now with a new injury, or do you?"

Naruto frowned at his composed leader. "You know I don't."

"Then stop nagging at me to let you play, go back to the hotel like a good boy before Tenten spots your ass."

Naruto sighed at his failed attempt, then remembering the true reason why he was where he was, he asked, "Before I leave…..where is Sasuke, Captain? I don't see him here."

Suddenly Shikamaru's calm face twisted into a frown. "How troublesome."

"Huh? Troublesome? You mean something happened to Sasuke?"

"Nothing out of the usual, but he won't be attending today's practice and won't be participating in tomorrow's match, as well."

Worry was so easily taking over him and Naruto with all his might told his growing heartbeats to quiet down.

"Then something is wrong with him! Where is he now?"

"Hey, idiot, calm down. There is nothing wrong with him. Sasuke is perfectly fine, not all people are as dumb as you to get hurt during these days."

"Then why isn't he attending practicing or tomorrow's game?"

"That is something I have decided. I can't reveal the reason to you, since it's his business. But take my word for it; you shouldn't dig this one out."

Naruto knotted his brows. "Is it something that he doesn't want people to know of?"

"Yes."

"Where is he?"

Shikamaru rolled his eyes at the blond standing before him. "Didn't I just say not to dig this one out?"

"I know, but I can't just leave it be….if there is something that's stopping Sasuke from basketball, I'll take it out! I'm already aware of the fact that he is quitting basketball at the end of this year, he told me so. But I can't agree, unless he gives me a good reason, I can't let him throw something like this away!"

"Naruto….believe me, the answer you're looking for is best left hidden."

"That will be for me to decide, Captain. Where is he? Where is Sasuke?"

Shikamaru scratched his hair and pointed up. "He is supposed to be with Neji at the doctor on the third floor."

"You said he wasn't injured."

"And he isn't."

Before Naruto's mouth could open to protest the contrast, Neji came running to the two teens, stopping whatever sentence Naruto wanted to say for later.

"Shika-chan! It's terrible! I can't find Sasuke anywhere!"

"Huuuh? Weren't you just with him?"

"I looked away for a few seconds and then he vanished; he isn't in any condition to do that, either."

"It's getting worse, right?"

"Yeah…I'm afraid there really isn't much we can do."

"Hey!" Naruto shouted to get the two's attention. "What's going on here!"

"Oh, Naruto-kun, I didn't see you there…"

"What happened to Sasuke?"

Neji crossed his arms and a worried look crossed over his face. "I'm afraid he's gone missing. And he isn't in any condition to wander around alone either."

"I…I'll go search for him!"

Not sticking around to hear the complete story was always one of Naruto's bad habits; he dashed out the door with his two Senpais looking at the dust he left behind.

"I hope he finds him."

Shikamaru rolled his eyes. "Drop the act, will you? Naruto is already gone."

Neji's mouth broke into a big cheesy grin. "OH! That's expected of our dear Shika-chan, you saw right through me."

"That's 'cause there were a lot of hoops in that lie of yours. So, where is Sasuke really?"

"He is chilling by the back gates. But I really want Naruto to find him."

"He'll get mad if he knew you leaked some information to Naruto."

"Arraa, you are just like the pot calling the kettle black."

Shikamaru released a small smile. "Well, I couldn't just leave him be, I'm their Captain, after all. And…"

"And Sasuke needs a person like Naruto around him, correct?"

"On the dot."

* * *

Naruto felt his arm throb in pain from the running he was doing, he ignored his body's cries for comfort and continued his search for Sasuke. Till now, he had searched the whole training centre they were in, the parameters around it thinking that Sasuke may not have gone far and finally, he got back to the hotel, to their joint room wishing to see Sasuke's intoxicating form laying on his bed. But there was no trace of him in all three places.

He kneeled to catch his breath and bit his lips when the pain in his arm increased. Maybe running around aimlessly really wasn't the best way to go around solving this little mystery. He should've stuck around to get more information from Neji about Sasuke, and maybe ask them to pitch in the search, too. Still, he had nothing to do while they had a match tomorrow afternoon and thus; it wasn't fair to get them out of practice.

"Uchiha, where the hell did you go?"

A nice aroma floated to his nostrils, Naruto's head automatically turned to the meat-booth a few meters away from where he stood. The view of the barbecued meat on skewers made his mouth water and his stomach grumbled wanting it. Unconsciously, he walked towards the seats and sat, ordering an amount of beef and pork that would suffice five other human beings beside him.

After finishing the tasty meat, Naruto pulled his wallet out to pay the man. He walked to the counter inspecting his money.

"How was it, boy?"

"Oh, just delicious."

"Hahaha….you won't find any better barbecues out here than mine!"

"Y-Yeah…" Naruto sweat dropped when the money inside his wallet wasn't enough to pay for all the meat he'd consumed. "Umm….Oji-san, I...umm…this is all I have on me right now. If you'd give me five minutes, I'll run back to the hotel and will get you the rest of the money."

The nice smile the man was giving Naruto turned to an angry scowl the next second. "No way in hell! You want to just eat and bail! No one does that in my booth!"

"I won't run…look, I'll give you my ID card as a proof!"

"Are you taking me for a fool, boy! This is a fake! Get my money now, you bailer!"

"I won't bail! I seriously have no more money!"

"Why you little…!"

Naruto closed his eyes at the spatula that was coming down his head, but the contact never came. He opened them again and saw a pale hand holding the wooden spatula away from him.

"Violence isn't good, Oji-san."

Naruto felt his heart throb at the calm voice coming from behind him. And he feared if he turned to meet those eyes, they'd vanish the next moment as a figment of his imagination.

The spatula was yanked out of Sasuke's palm, the man glared at him. "Then let him pay for what he ate!"

"Here, this should be enough."

An amount of money that was more than enough to pay for ten more other dishes Naruto didn't eat was given to the old man; he looked with wide eyes at the money then started collecting it with a happy expression. Sasuke humphed and took the dumbfounded idiot's hand to lead him away.

"You are the dumbest person who has ever walked this Earth, you know that?"

"Umm….I wasn't paying attention to the prices when I ordered." Naruto answered hazily. In his current startle, his brain didn't recognize that he was being insulted and not questioned about what had happened to him.

Sasuke let go of the warm hand he was holding and returned his to his pocket.

"You should return to the hotel, I'm going to train."

At this, Naruto woke up from his trance remembering the real reason why he was out.

"No, you're not."

Sasuke raised a brow and stopped in his tracks. "Excuse me?"

"I've been to the training centre, and Neji said you went missing after he took you to the doctor. You've no practice today and won't be playing in tomorrow's match. So, there is no way you're going to the training centre."

"Just who told you all that bullshit?"

"Shikamaru."

Sasuke ran a hand through his hair and continued walking. "Let's say your words are true, it's none of your business where I go."

"It might be, but I just can't leave you be! I don't know what's wrong with me, but I really, really, really want to be your friend! No matter how many times you mock, insult or belittle me, I still can't stop the desire in me to want to become your friend."

"You-"

"I know what you're going to say, you don't want to be my friend. But why? We didn't even try it; you can't know something will be a failure without trying it!"

Sasuke's eyes turned cold, he came closer to Naruto and stood a few inches away from him. "I can't become your friend because I don't like you. In fact, I hate you. The way you think the world is always a good place, how you like basketball endlessly and how bright you are. I hate it all," His hands came to rest on Naruto's throat and Sasuke closed his grip on it. "Every time I see you I just want to take that light inside your eyes and crush it!"

Naruto eyes widened and he felt his core shake at the lifeless eyes and the cold hands on his throat.

"So, never say anything stupid about being friends with me again. You and I will never have that kind of relationship."

Sasuke removed his hands from Naruto and walked away, in the opposite direction of their hotel. He was sure of it now, no matter what, Naruto would stay away from him for good. As he came upon his expression on a passing mirror, he tried to convince himself that what he did was for the best. For after all, nothing good ever happens when people associate with him.

* * *

Gaara rolled his eyes at the grinning raven behind him and clicked open the door to their room. He'd kept his mouth shut about the secret exchange with Naruto, and even though he hated to admit it, a small part of him was actually glad he was bunking with Neji, well….a tiny petty witty part that is.

"Naruto! Why are you here?" Neji was the first to voice his surprise after the door was opened.

The blond gave them a tired smile. "I'm sorry, Senpai. I know I told you I'll switch with you….but, I can't go back to that room tonight."

Neji sighed and signaled Gaara to step out, with confused eyes and a signal that he'll have to get an explanation later, Gaara did as told.

"Sasuke said something, didn't he?"

Naruto pulled his legs close to his chest. "He hates me."

"Naruto….Sasuke doesn't hate you,"

"He said it to my face; he wants to kill me every time he sees me."

Neji had to stop his eyes from rolling at the exaggeration that Sasuke must've used. He put his hands on Naruto's shoulder for comfort.

"Listen, Naruto. I've been around him long enough to read him like an open book, and believe me, the emotions he shows to you, doesn't come from someone who hates you. Regardless of what he may have said to you today, be sure that most of it was lies."

Naruto raised his head at the words. "Lies? Why would he lie?"

"To keep you away. Sasuke feels threatened by people like you, 'cause you can warm your way easily into his heart. And he doesn't want that."

"Your words don't make sense. Why doesn't he want me to get close to him?"

"Because then you'll have to learn about him, his family, his life. And he doesn't want that."

"If he doesn't want me to know, I won't ask."

"Aha, but he is afraid that he'll want you to know. He is scared that once you know, you'll walk away from him and betray him. Like many people have done so in the past. So, before you leave him, he left you."

"That's stupid; I won't leave him just because I know more about him!"

"Sasuke's brain doesn't work like ours. To tell you the truth, if our families weren't doing business together, we would have never become friends, since he doesn't allow people to get close and will shut them down at all costs."

"Then…..what am I to do?"

"There was something on my mind, and your answer now will decide whether I will do this thing or not."

Naruto's attention was caught. "What?"

"Do you want to know the reason why Sasuke wants to quit?"

"Yeah, but only if he lets me."

"He won't. And judging from the events of today, the walls that I thought were damaged turned out to still be well and standing, so him opening up to you won't be easy."

"I have no interest in knowing from you, I told you that."

Neji frowned. "Why be so stubborn? You know if you knew it would be easy for you to get to him."

Naruto stood from the bed and gave the other a smile. "Even so. It has to come from him, but thank you anyway, Neji."

A few minutes after Naruto left the cozy room, Gaara came in; he raised a brow at his lover who was puffing his cheeks with crossed arms. Gaara smirked.

"You've been dumped."

Neji threw a pillow at his long time childhood friend slash lover. "Shut up."

* * *

Naruto took a deep breath, prepared his heart and mind for what he was about to do then swung the door of the room wide open. Emotionless black orbs faced him; he started talking before he chickened out.

"I'm not afraid! Whatever you want to do to me, I'm not afraid of it! And I won't leave! I won't betray you! Regardless of anything that you may be hiding from me for my own good, I won't leave you. So...so, you don't need to shut me out or decide on a stupid thing like leaving me before I leave you, because I won't! And if you refused this and decided to continue running, then I'll only keep coming back after you till you get the idea through your head!"

There was no motion, not even a blink after he finished his speech, and Naruto felt a little bit disappointed inside, he wanted Sasuke to at least give him a reply, be it good or bad, some voice to indicate he'd heard Naruto. Not this awful silence that was condemning him.

"I….did you hear me, Sasuke?"

"Close the door, and lock it."

At that, Naruto felt his throat dry, what was going to happen to him? Will he turn into a missing picture on the side of the milk carton or what? He swallowed hard at the echoing steps behind him.

Two strong arms rested on his shoulders and he felt himself being pulled into the firm chest.

"You talked to Neji."

It was more of a statement than a question and Naruto didn't know how to react, but he was always one honest rat.

"I did. But I didn't find out anything about you from him; since, it's meaningless unless you tell me."

"And? What will you do once you find out?"

"I…." Naruto turned making the arms holding him from behind, switch to hold him from the front. "I won't leave you."

"Yes, we established that fact already. I mean what will you do with the information, it's not like getting to know me will help your basketball career or anything, or is it, you want money?"

Naruto gently pushed against the board chest. "Sasuke….it's actually sad to hear you say that. There are more to human relationships than fame or money. I'm not after you because I want something in return. I just wish to be beside you."

"As a friend."

"That's one way."

"I told you, we can't be friends,"

"But why? You don't really hate me, right? And even if you did, I will still peruse you. So please don't say hurtful things like that again."

Sasuke removed his arms from Naruto's shoulders, and walked towards his bed.

"Naruto, do you know what will happen to you if you get close to me?"

"I don't, and I don't care."

"But I do care. My family, it's not as sweet as yours, and I don't want to pull you into its clutches, so if you understand and don't want to waste your life, stay away from me."

Naruto walked towards the other and sat beside him on the bed, looking at the stoic expression. His heart squeezed, feeling that even though Sasuke's face refused to show it, he was struggling with something hard deep inside his soul, Naruto put his left hand over Sasuke's.

"Why not let me decide that?"

"You won't know what you'll be deciding."

"Sasuke, forget your family and my personal safety for a sec, what do you want to do? Do you want to be friends with me?"

When Sasuke answered with as a shake of his head, Naruto told the faint candle light of hope not to disappear from his heart.

"My mind is all messed up, around you I don't act right…can't think right, there is a roller-coaster of emotions running inside my head. That's why I don't know what type of relationship I want to have with you."

Naruto gave him a soft smile. "Me too. But my emotions are all pointing me in the direction of getting closer to you. And if we are the same, I think your emotions are doing that, too."

"I don't know."

"I think you'll know in time, and when that time comes, you will tell me, right?"

"…"

Naruto smiled at the tender pressure the pale hand in his palm made, he oh-ed when something hit his memory hard.

"God, I can't believe I almost forgot that! Wait, I have something of yours," Naruto took his hand from Sasuke's and searched inside his back pocket then got the beautifully made blue handkerchief out. "You forgot it at my place the other day."

Naruto passed the washed and ironed handkerchief to its owner. Sasuke's eyes widened for a minute, then a small serene smile that Naruto had never seen fell on those beautiful red lips.

"I thought I lost it for good."

"I….now that I see how dear it is to you, I'm shy to say this, but I've had it for a while now. I wanted to give it back to you, but….it felt like if I did, there will be nothing to tie us together. And that scared me."

Sasuke looked from the visibly freaked out blond to the blue silky piece in his hands. Quietly, he said.

"It was my mother's. She liked this handkerchief, it was her favorite amongst all others, she used to always carry it anywhere she went. It is my last memory of her, so, I'm taking the fact that you had it over it getting lost any day."

Naruto felt himself blush when that smile was given to him. And without feeling it, his hands entwined gently over Sasuke's, aimed to turn that icy hand into a lukewarm one.

* * *

Naruto cracked his neck and stretched his legs. Their second game had just ended with a victory, he grinned, there will only be three others and they'll be scored for the semi-finals. He pulled the heavy bags that Tenten had him carry over his shoulders as he made his way towards the van. But before he reached it, the sound of horns going off pulled his attention to the blue car three meters away from their van. He quickly threw the bags into the van and jogged to his trail-friend.

"I thought you wouldn't be coming today."

"And I am not; I just came to pick you up. Hop in; there is a place I want to take you to."

Not losing any time, Naruto put himself on the passenger seat as Sasuke drove them before any of their teammates, manager, or their club adviser caught them. Naruto turned the AC off, seeing as his bones started shuttering against each other and looked with dreadful eyes outside the window.

"Seems like it's going to rain."

"I listened to the forecast this morning and they promised a clear sky, no rain for today."

Naruto wrinkled his nose. "This doesn't look like a clear sky to me, they must be wrong, wouldn't be the first time anyway."

"I normally wouldn't disagree but around this area their predictions are normally correct."

Opening the window, Naruto smelled the air. "I don't care about their stupid predictions, I only trust my nose, and it's telling me it's going to rain!"

"Are you a dog?"

"Nope, but my nose is as sensitive as one." Naruto grinned goofily to him.

Sasuke shook his head with a smirk soon coming to rest on his lips. "Fine then, if you trust your nose that much, how about a small bet?"

"Sounds interesting, what's your bet?"

"If it rains, I'll allow you a question, but if it doesn't, you'll sleep with me."

Naruto was almost about to hit his casted arm with the door beside him if he wasn't paying a close attention like he was. "Sasuke, are you crazy! Why would I sleep with you?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Dobe, I'm not talking about sex here. I mean you'll sleep in the same bed as me."

"I don't think that'll work. Our beds are too tiny for two people to sleep on them."

"Who said we are going to sleep on our own beds?"

"What do you mean?"

Sasuke smirked. "That's for later, if it doesn't rain. So, taking the bet?"

"Yep! Since I'll be winning for sure~"

"I would prepare the white flag if I were you."

Naruto stuck his tongue out. "That should be my line!"

His azure eyes turned to the window when the smell of something fresh hit his nostrils, his mouth stretched into a big grin and his eyes sparkled.

"The sea! Look, Sasuke, it's the sea!"

"Yes, I know. Hold on tight!"

"Huh?"

Suddenly Sasuke went out of the main street and rolled his car down the sandy hill, Naruto had to close the window to stop the flaring dust from entering and ruining the clean vehicle. He wanted to shout at Sasuke for the reckless act he was doing, but his mouth was too busy shouting to people to jump out of their way before they get hurt and Sasuke goes to jail for murder. Finally, they got down and the car stopped moving.

Glaring eyes faced the raven.

"Sasuke! I can't believe you just did that!"

"It would have been a long drive if we took the main street. Think of this as a shortcut."

"Shortcuts don't cut through people!"

Sasuke took his keys out and stepped out of the car with a teasing smirk. "Then why did they call it a cut?"

"I'm sure they didn't mean cutting people!"

"Yes, yes. Just get out already; we still have a long walk ahead of us."

Naruto got out of the car and closed the door behind him. He watched as Sasuke pushed the safety button on his car and they started walking. He did everything he could to avoid the glares that came from the people present at the sandy beach and released a sigh when they were finally at a safe distance from the loathe.

"Wow, no matter how long I look, the sea is always beautiful. Such a pity the rest of the guys couldn't come, I'd like to share this view with them."

"They will."

"You mean they're following us?"

"No. Tenten had arranged for them to come to this beach after we qualify for the semi-finals. It should be her gift to them."

"But you are ruining it right now."

"I figured taking you wouldn't hurt, as long as you keep your mouth shut. And besides," Sasuke nodded to the ocean. "It's not like you'll mind coming here again."

"You're right, I won't." They passed an ice-cream man with kids swarming him from all sides, Naruto smiled at the cute view. "So, this place you're taking us, is it still far away?"

"See those rocks?"

"Yes."

"That's our goal."

"Oh, but what could we find exactly in a place like that?"

"You'll see."

Not half an hour later, the two were beside the rocks. Sasuke started climbing, signaling Naruto to do the same. Reluctant at the clearly dangerous sharp rocks, Naruto followed. Still puzzled as to what they could find hidden in a place like this, he trailed Sasuke who disappeared behind a big rock. Getting behind it, he started coming down on the other side of the rocks. His eyes widened in surprise at the full pledged basketball court looking at him. Rapidly he jumped down the rocks into the sandy court surrounded by rocks from all side.

"This is amazing, Sasuke! How did you find it?"

"Didn't find, made."

Sasuke walked towards the distal part of the court, he removed a few rocks and a basketball emerged from underneath. He twirled it in his hand then threw it to Naruto who luckily was able to use his left hand to catch it.

"What do you mean made?"

"When I was a kid, I loved basketball so much that I asked my father to help me build a secret court here. It was impossible though, 'cause the beach belonged to the people, not my father. But I didn't understand it back then, and so, I talked Neji into helping me build it." Sasuke put his hands on the now rusty pole. "It's been a while since I last came here to practice."

"It doesn't look like it was built by kids, though."

"That's because Neji pulled some strings, and don't ask me how, but he got us people who could build it right."

"Wasn't your father upset that you went against him and built it?"

The look inside Sasuke's eyes darkened for a second and Naruto thought that maybe he shouldn't ask about the parents' subject anymore, for every time he mentioned anything about Sasuke's parents, the other would coldly ignore him.

"…We didn't tell him. This place, only five people know about its existence, and you're our sixth."

"So, it's like a secret base?"

"More like a secret basketball cave."

"Cool!" Naruto jumped and used his left hand to try and score a three pointer, unfortunately, that didn't go as planned. "I won't tell."

The ball missed and he tripped his steps on his way down. If Sasuke wasn't there to stabilize him, Naruto thought that another bone would break but this time in his leg.

"It's dangerous to do stuff like that with that arm."

"Y-Yeah….sorry, maybe my arm isn't as healed as I want it to be."

"Of course, it's only been a week. Learn to be patient."

At feeling strong arms hold him from behind, Naruto felt his heart quicken and the blood run to warm his cheeks. He quickly pushed himself away from the raven avoiding the dark orbs questioning his sudden movement.

"Umm…not to sound rude or anything, but why did you bring me here? You know I won't be able to play, right?"

Sasuke ran a hand through his messed up hair and shrugged. "It's not like I'm being cruel to you or anything, I just wanted to show you this little secret of mine. You've already shown me your house and your family. I can't do that. So, at least I wanted you to know something….it's unsettling to stay in the dark."

"I don't really mind, it's fine for me as long as you're comfortable." Naruto picked up the ball he had thrown a few minutes and missed and gave it to Sasuke. "But if you really want to take me out of the dark, shoot some balls for me."

Sasuke looked at the grinning idiot, he humphed and took the ball.

"You really are a basketball-freak."

"Oh, you've just noticed?"

"Dobe."

* * *

Iruka looked outside the window to the rain that was starting to wallow his front yard and wondered if his so-called son was doing fine over there or not. It had already been two days without Naruto, and he was feeling the gloom tail on him already. Iruka was actually against the blond going off with his club to the Interhigh competition seeing as how he was still in recovery, but an insistent and a hard-headed Naruto was always a Naruto he couldn't handle. Iruka huffed on the glass and the humidity formed.

"You don't have to look so depressed."

The deep voice came from being him; he turned to find his tall pale boyfriend coming to him with two cups of black coffee. Iruka gave a smile.

"I'm not, just worried."

"He'll be fine. He can look after himself."

"I'm not too sure; Naruto is the type that gets himself into trouble instead of getting out of it."

He left the window seat and walked to the sofa, soon he was engulfed in a strong hug.

"He'll be fine," Kakashi repeated his former sentence. "Sasuke is there, I've told him to keep an eye on Naruto."

He used the opportunity when Iruka turned to the dismal window and nipped on the earlobe that was calling him to, earning a soft moan from the man in his arms.

"I hope Naruto doesn't cause Sasuke-kun too much trouble."

"He can handle it."

Kakashi laid them on the comfortable yellow sofa and used his legs to tackle Iruka's. While his hands started reaching for different places inside Iruka's clothes.

"Unnmm…Kakashi…not now."

"Your body has a sweet way of disagreeing with your mouth, love."

"But, the coffee will get cold." Iruka released a soft protest.

"We can always reheat it…."

With the lights off, the nice aroma of coffee surrounding them, the rain falling in the background and the seducing sounds his silver haired boyfriend was making, Iruka chose to throw his self-control out into the rain. For right now, he needed anything to get his mind of the grave that Naruto was sure to dig for himself in a place he couldn't even see. And what's better than a mind-blowing sex with the skilled Hatake. Iruka grinned and pulled the lips opposite his into a crushing battle.

* * *

Sasuke cursed the seven skies, the seven seas and the Dobe he was with. He looked at the drowning puppy, the crying girl and the idiot who had jumped into the raging waves so thoughtlessly. He cursed once more before stripping off his shirt and jumping to rescue the two drowning dogs. Sasuke was lucky that his family was strict into shaping him into the perfect athlete and therefore, helping his body to cope quickly to the waves' pressure. He let himself be swayed by the water 'till he was closer to the puppy without exhausting his muscles.

Once he got the small dog in his arms, he started searching for his own puppy. Sasuke bit the inside of his gum, with water coming from above and below, it was very hard to spot Naruto's form and he was sure that with that arm, there was no way in hell Naruto could've swam back alive.

Quickly, he made his way to the shore, returned the puppy to its crying owner then dipped himself back into the sea. This time, he took a deep breath and went under water. He closed his eyes then opened them to adjust to the salty water. Looking everywhere, he felt his spirit lift a little when he spotted the red cast holder Naruto wore. Speedily, he made his way towards the fainted blond. Sasuke dragged him out but found some plants hooked on Naruto's legs.

Bubbles of air started escaping from the blond's mouth. Sasuke brought the red lips to his and gave some of his oxygen to Naruto in hopes to sustain the other 'till he could untangle the weeds holding Naruto's leg. It took a while, but he finally got them cleared. As he swam up, he felt his lungs burn with the lack of oxygen, he closed his lips firmly and held tightly to Naruto's lifeless body as the way to the surface cleared.

Finally out the water, Sasuke dragged the blond to the shore and slumped with the motionless body beside him. He took a deep breath then turned Naruto's body over when there was no sign he was breathing.

The girl holding her dog started weeping again and asking for Sasuke to do something to help the kind big-brother who threw himself in there for her dog. But he didn't need to be begged so he could help Naruto.

"Dammit, I'll freaking kill you if you die on me now!"

Sasuke started doing CPR to Naruto and with each passing minute, he would grow wearier than ever. He pulled Naruto's lips apart again and pushed air into his lungs, just when he was about to lose all light of hope, the blond opened his eyes and coughed the water out of his lungs. The girl laughed, overjoyed, holding her dog close.

Sasuke breathed a sigh then pulled his hand and slapped Naruto hard on the cheek.

"Don't you ever do that again!"

With that, Sasuke strolled towards his car, ignoring the little kid that frightfully removed herself out of his way. Naruto looked at the retreating raven with a sad look, he stood up, smiled at the girl who gave him a tight hug and a happy thanks then ran to her family, and then he started walking, following the clearly pissed off raven.

Naruto felt his leg buzz with a bit of pain, he looked and traces of a bruise were forming. He bit his lower lip, maybe jumping in without thinking wasn't the best idea there was. He didn't just burden his own body, but Sasuke, too. At the view of the car and the wet man inside it glaring at the sky, Naruto had the momentarily thought to turn and leave Sasuke. But it evaporated into the rainy weather when Sasuke's mouth moved calling him. His legs shifted before his mind could tell them to and the next second, he was inside the leathery seats with his head down.

"I'm sor-"

A towel was thrown on his face. "Dry with this."

Naruto nodded and Sasuke started the engine, unfortunately for them, the wet sand beneath was making the car's movement hard, and so they burned a lot of benzene just to get to the main street. Sasuke maintained a calm exterior and drove with care. Ignoring the rain that was hitting his windshield like there was no tomorrow, fuck those failed weather reports!

"Umm….Sas-"

"We're not going back to the hotel, since it would be a bother to explain things to Tenten. I'm taking us to my family's hotel."

Naruto wanted to question the other about the hotel, but with Sasuke always cutting him off, the message he tried to convey to him came across loud and clear. Naruto tightened his hold on the towel and let the drive continue in silence.

Along the way, Sasuke tried to light a cigarette but his whole pack was wet. He cursed and threw them to the backseat, flinching Naruto more to see just how mad he actually was. Finally, the hellishly silent ride came to an end, they pulled over beside a huge grand hotel that Naruto never thought he'd be able to afford eating in, let alone sleeping in one of the rooms.

They walked inside with all eyes on the two drenched boys that came waltzing in like they owned the prestigious hotel. Before they could walk any further inside, a man came running to Sasuke.

"Sasuke-sama, your room is ready."

A golden card was given to Sasuke, he waved his hand to the man and swiftly he vanished. Awing Naruto to the huge gap in financial situation they had between them. They entered a nice looking elevator; Naruto had to hold his awe again for he'd never seen an elevator as magnificent as this except on movies. And the red carpet on which they walked, he was sure that if they were to sell his whole house, its price wouldn't even come close to the carpet's. Blindly following Sasuke, they stopped beside a door. Naruto watched Sasuke get the golden card and pass it through what looked like the lock.

It opened with a click. Sasuke walked inside signaling him to tag along then closed the door.

At the spacious, beautiful, majestic suite, Naruto's mouth lost the sadness it was harboring since his so called incident. He ran towards the black windows and the whole city lit beneath his feet. A huge grin plastered on his face.

"This is stunning!"

"Hurry up and get into the shower or you'll catch a cold and I don't want to be blamed when that happens."

Naruto's smile dropped the next second; he nodded and walked to where the shower was located. He opened the door to another magnificent room, this in his sight, looked nothing like a bathroom. It was just another room where you should take pictures, not bathe. But he was forced in for the latter. Naruto sighed; he unzipped his wet hoodie then his wet trousers and placed them in the basket where he thought laundry should be placed.

As he made his way further inside, his eyes widened in joy at seeing the big Jacuzzi bubbling with hot air. He smiled and thought to relax in it after getting a nice shower. Getting inside the pleasant shower, Naruto flicked the water on, but after he placed a bag over his cast. He didn't know how, but there was one plastic bag inside the bathroom with the same size as his cast. He shrugged the preparations as just a coincidence and started scrubbing the salty water off his skin.

Happily clean now, Naruto stepped out and made his way to the hot waters. He stood startled at the view of the raven sitting there with a cigarette held firmly in hand.

"Get in."

Naruto blushed at his nakedness and tried to hide his member from sight. "Um….I'll go get something to wear first."

"It's not the first time I've seen your balls. Get in."

He felt his blush darken at the vulgar words but the ordering tone made his body obey and again, without meaning to, he did exactly what he was told. Luckily for him, the bubbles didn't allow anything to be seen from above, and so he relaxed into the warm water.

They stayed in another fit of silence, with only the additional smell of smoke as Sasuke let his insides crumble to the intoxicating drug. Naruto felt like he'd lost the right to tell the other to stop smoking.

"This is my room. In this hotel anyway."

Naruto looked for the first time to the other in the eyes, and those sharp orbs were unfortunately looking elsewhere.

"Umm….so, you come here often?"

Sasuke's eyes turned from the ceiling to Naruto, jolting him. He pointed a pale finger to Naruto then said.

"The shit you pulled today, I never want to see it again. If you have a death wish, do it where I won't be able to see."

Naruto felt a cold chill run down his spine, and he wondered where it came from since he was surrounded by hot air from all sides.

"It's not like I wanted to die or anything, but I just couldn't leave him to die like that. It's too sad."

"And it wouldn't be sad if you died!"

Naruto was startled with the way he remained calm towards Sasuke's words, and he spoke from his heart. "Honestly speaking, I didn't think about that then, all I saw was a crying kid and a drowning puppy. You could say my instinct took over my mind right then."

Sasuke released a cloudy air. "Humph, instinct my ass. You were jumping to your death, and if I weren't there, you'd be sleeping with the fishes tonight!"

"But you were, and I'm sleeping with you tonight." Naruto retreated with a smile.

"No, you're not. It rained. You won; you can ask anything you want to know."

Sensing a sudden disappointment at the raven's words, Naruto nodded. "Right now, there is only one thing I really want to know about you."

"And that is?"

"Why are you quitting basketball?"

Suddenly Sasuke stood up, Naruto felt his face turn beat red at the manhood that was suddenly made aware to his sight, he turned away with a vivid memory of the huge size he'd just seen. A second later, cold fingers pulled his flushed face up and the face of his rival was brought extra close to his. Sasuke puffed the air he held on Naruto's face then backed away.

"Get out; we are going to bed right now."

Naruto coughed the polluted air out of his lungs and stood to follow the other. Even though he wanted to remain a few more minutes inside the relaxing Jacuzzi, he was an arms-length away from the answer he was searching so hard for, and no amount of hot water would stand between him and that goal.

So, pulling a towel around his waist, he exited the grand bathroom. A set of pajamas were placed on the huge queen-sized bed before him. Naruto blinked.

"Is this mine?"

"Yes," Sasuke closed the windows alongside the lights, he clapped and the four nightstands that were on the sides of the two beds lit, showering the room in a cozy, warm orangish light. "I'll button it up for you."

Wanting to reject the offer, but knowing that he wouldn't be able to button the shirt, made Naruto zip-up his mouth. As the pale fingers pulled the shirt over his frame, Naruto felt that strange heat move to his face, and why the hell was his heart beating out of his chest! He took a deep breath, and shifted his eyes to the floor, seeing as it was the safest spot to look at right now.

Sasuke finished buttoning and then put his hand over Naruto's wet locks.

"Why didn't you dry it off?"

"Umm….I was getting to that later."

"If you leave it like this, you'll catch a cold. Wait here,"

Calm footsteps made their way inside the bathroom; Naruto took the private moment to put the boxers that were prepared for him on. He knew that Sasuke obviously felt no shame between them, but for the love of him, he did!

Luckily, it took a while before Sasuke could get his hands on a towel, and Naruto was given the needed time to pull the pants up as well. Instead of being handed in the towel to dry his own hair, Sasuke started over the task.

"I can do it myself, you know."

"With that arm, you won't be able to do it properly."

Naruto wanted to argue that he's lived a whole week with the said arm and was perfectly well able to dry his own hair, but when those heavenly fingers started working on his scalp, the words flew off of his tongue.

"Mmmnnn, Sasuke, that's good."

Naruto leaned forward into the board chest and let himself be pampered. Suddenly, the fingers playing with his hair stopped working; Sasuke removed the towel from Naruto's hair and stood back.

"Your hair is well dried up now."

Naruto blinked then nodded, he released a smile a few minutes after touching his hair. "Thanks, I guess I'll be taking that bed then."

"Yeah…"

Getting under the warm covers made Naruto realize just how tired he was, he sighed at the luxury.

"Good night, Sasuke."

"'Night."

Smiling regardless of the soft tiny reply, Naruto closed his eyes and welcomed sleep to work on his eyes.

* * *

He was tired, his brain hurt and every bone in his body cried for him to sleep, but he couldn't. Naruto rolled on his other side to try and force his tired body to sleep, but it ended up with the same result. He sent a look to the other side, finding Sasuke asleep like a log. Naruto sighed and stepped out the bed. He didn't know what was wrong with him, but nevertheless he was dead tired, he just couldn't sleep. His eyes wouldn't close.

He walked towards the fridge and hoped to get some milk to help him sleep. It always did the trick when he was over at his house. Happy to find a carton of fresh milk, Naruto searched for the glasses and poured himself one.

Getting back to his bed, he tried to sleep again. But this time, when he closed his eyes, images of the water being forced down his mouth jolted him to sit up. Naruto shook his head, and took a deep breath. Why was he thinking about his last moments right now? He was perfectly fine earlier, then why now? He spared pleading eyes to the raven and turned back to his own hands. There won't be a use to even wake Sasuke up right now. This was his problem and he needed to solve it…..somehow.

He pulled the covers away from his body and headed towards the windows, looking down, the city was still awake, even though it was past one in the morning, the city's lights were still on. Naruto wondered what people did this late at night, drinking maybe, or having a late dinner. Oh, what was his guardian doing right now? Sleeping? Writing another script? A book? Or children's songs? Maybe he was sleeping. The idea that he was sleeping with the silver haired man was soon pushed to his mind's garbage can.

"Can't sleep?"

The once deep and now husky from sleep voice pulled Naruto out of his mental struggle. He turned to the raven that was getting up of bed and nodded with a sweet smile.

"Things just keep rolling around in my mind, and I can't force myself to sleep."

"Then come here."

Sasuke removed the thick blanket revealing the empty space for Naruto to take. The blond's expression turned from surprise, to trying to contain himself and refuse the offer, to suddenly jumping in at Sasuke's signal. He cursed his weak self when he was engulfed by the warm heat.

"What were you thinking about?"

"A lot of things."

"The recent one."

Naruto gave his back to those beautiful black orbs fearing that he would do something to regret later on.

"Iruka and Kakashi."

"Aha. Well, you may not believe me when I tell you this, and I don't believe that I'm saying this, but he isn't a bad person. He is a perv, but he'll never hurt the person he loves."

"I know and I don't hate him, am just irritated."

"That your guardian fell into his clutches?"

"Exactly, Iruka should do better."

Sasuke pulled the covers over them and laid on his back, facing the ceiling. "From the look in his eyes, he doesn't want better."

Naruto fisted his hands on the feathery pillow under his head. "I know that, too."

"Then stop thinking about things you can't change and sleep."

When he was pulled into that firm warm chest, Naruto flinched. Strong arms held him in place and he couldn't move even if he wanted to. He sighed at the awkward hug, and closed his eyes, who ever thought that the day when he is comforted by the infamous Sasuke Uchiha would ever come. He smiled; Sakura would surely have a fit if she saw them right now.

"Your hair feels nice, soft and a little wet," Sasuke mumbled to his ears, setting Naruto's face and heart on fire. "I like it this way."

Naruto didn't know what to respond, so he gently put his left hand over Sasuke's right hand that was thrown over his waist. Feeling his heart relax into the touch, Naruto watched as sleep tried to invoke his soul once more and this time, he freely let it.

After making sure the heart rhythm he was holding were getting stable, Sasuke drew himself closer to Naruto's ears and so tenderly whispered the answer to Naruto's earlier question.

"Because I'm going blind."

Then fell back into his original position, ignorant to the startled blue orbs that shone in the darkness.

* * *

**Done and done! I'm most proud of this chapter. It's cute and I love every piece in it. Can't stop gloating over it, soo cuuuute! XD Anyhow, ignore my heart's inner cries, and tell me what you think. I'm waiting for your wonderful reviews, everyone! =D**


	5. Chapter Five

**Author's Notes:**

**Again, your incredible reviews excite me more and more and make me want to write and write and write! =D Thank you everyone! I'll work hard to make you an even greater chapter than the one you've read before! And a great big thanks alongside roses for my wonderful Beta, Missbip0lar, she is a great person who helps into making this fic the best! Unfortunetly, she is no longer aiding me into Beta'ng. =( So, I'm ((((IN THE MARKET FOR A NEW BETA!)))). If you know anyone who is willing to do it, or you yourself can do it. Please send me a message. I really want to compelete this story, and without a Beta, that will be impossible. ='( **

**Now, enough of my sad agony and let me leave you to the story, enjoy! And don't forget to review~**

* * *

Naruto pulled the zipper up his bag and then swung it over his shoulder. He walked towards the window seeing his teammates already putting their packages into the tiny van that was prepared for them. Tenten spotted him and shouted for him to come down as not to get late. He smiled at her and shut the window. His eyes traveled to the empty bed beside his. He sighed and walked out the room, locking it, and then making his way downstairs to the receptionist to hand in the key to their joint room.

Naruto bid the nice woman at the reception goodbye and strolled into the sunshine. They had finally finished all of their games, with a slam dunk victory in each and every one. So now, they had qualified with honors to the Interhigh. Naruto looked back at their fifth game, his arm had already healed by then, but Tenten refused to allow him to participate, claiming that until they get a doctor to look at the arm, she wasn't about to take any chances. He'd sulked that day, but surrendered to her will when they brought back a victory.

As he stepped inside the van, there was no trace of Sasuke, Neji, Gaara or Kankuro. Naruto knotted his brows at the missing players and took a seat behind their respectable Captain.

"Hey, Shikamaru-Senpai?"

"What?"

"I don't see Gaara or Kankuro-Senpai here; did they go off ahead?"

"Yeah, our budget didn't allow us to rent anything big, so he went off with his brother and Neji as not to further crowd the already crowded van."

"Ahaa….and Sasuke? When I woke up he wasn't there."

Shikamaru frowned and turned to the blond behind him, with dissatisfied lips, he said.

"What do you mean when you woke up? Sasuke is rooming with Neji…." At the sheepish look and the small 'oops' that left Naruto's mouth, Shikamaru freaked. "Oh no, don't tell me! Neji! That's why he was extra happy these past days! Do you know what Tenten would've done if she found out! She'd have slaughtered you for ruining her training program!"

Naruto shrugged. "But she didn't. And everything went smoothly in the end."

"You've someone up there who is praying for you, Naruto. Just tell me, what did he give you in exchange?"

"His word not to kick me off the team." Naruto answered truthfully.

Shikamaru rolled his eyes. "You're an idiot. He doesn't have that power to do so; he was just pulling an empty threat. And you believed it."

Naruto pouted. "But…he looked like he could really do it!"

"He just gave you a confident front and you fell for it. Baka!"

Knotting his brows at what he was hearing, Naruto slumped back on his seat. But even though he fell for Neji's plot, he wasn't against it. In fact, he was grateful because he was able to share rooms with Sasuke for once in his life. And speaking of Sasuke…..

"Shikamaru-Senpai, you still didn't tell me what had happened to Sasuke."

"Aha….Well, since he has some business to take care of here, he will be following us later on."

Naruto frowned and got back to his seat. Ever since that night, he had the feeling that Sasuke was avoiding him. He didn't want that, because there were millions of questions twirling inside his head needing answers, but it didn't feel like Sasuke wanted to give them to him. And he wasn't in a rush, he'd wait. But, as his mind started replaying the sentence that he was left with over and over again, Naruto connected the shattered dots. That day, when he saw Sasuke wining that track challenge and he sensed something was off. Now he knew it.

It was the angle in which Sasuke had finished the race in. It felt as if he strayed from the path with a few steps. Naruto figured if his eyes were going bad, that would explain it.

"May I sit here?"

The blond looked up to the teen with spiky black hair, he nodded with a smile. "Sure thing."

Shino. That was his name. He was Kiba's best friend, as far as Naruto knew; they didn't have any contact together, and he didn't even think he'd be able to distinguish Shino's face if he were to find him in the street. The teen always had black sunglasses shadowing his eyes and a thick scarf that hid his mouth from public. They had only spoken a few times and that was always done in the presence of Kiba. So right now, Naruto didn't know how to roll a conversation with this mysterious player.

"Kiba is flirting with his girlfriend on the line, and truthfully I don't feel like listening to his happy-romance."

"Huuuh! Kiba has a girlfriend? I've never knew!"

"Yeah, it doesn't show. You'd think the girl would be a total pig to settle for his ass, but she isn't. She is a pretty, well educated, polite female." Shino snorted. "I'm still wondering how she took him in."

"Well, people have different tastes in human."

"He isn't human, he is a dog."

Naruto sweat dropped at the sharp words, but he figured a long and deep friendship would do that to a person.

"You, jackass! What are you saying behind my back!"

Suddenly Shino was grabbed from behind by the neck, exposing his mouth for the first time to Naruto. One would think he'd seen it in practices, but for the love of him, Naruto didn't remember a time when they had a practice and Shino's face was exposed, maybe the eyes. But his mouth was always a mystery. Amongst others.

"Idiot! You're chocking me!"

"Serves you right! Sorry Naruto, I'm taking this log off your shoulder."

Kiba dragged his best friend back to the backseat of their van; Naruto just waved good-bye to the protesting raven.

"Those two are always very troublesome."

"It's nice that they have such a deep relationship with one another."

Shikamaru raised a brow and stood from his seat taking the one beside Naruto. He scratched his head for what he was about to do, and said, "Why is Sasuke avoiding you?"

Naruto's eyes widened for a second, then he gave a smile. "You noticed?"

"His behavior was odd since that day you two slept out. Something had happened. You don't need to tell me, but try to solve it as soon as possible before more members of the team notice the sudden fraction. I don't want to see my team fall because you two won't talk."

Naruto shook his head at the words. "We didn't argue, and it wasn't a fight or anything."

"Then?"

"I found out about the thing you told me it was best stay hidden."

Shikamaru groaned. "I feared something like this must have happened. Did he tell you to your face?"

"No. He whispered it in my ear when he thought I was asleep."

"I'd say that's better than my expectations."

"Why? What did you expect him to do?"

"Smash your face into the wall and dump your body in the river."

"Captain, that's awful!"

"That's Sasuke."

Naruto puffed his cheeks and crossed his arms over his chest. "No, that's not him. Sasuke is a good person."

"I never said he wasn't a good person."

"A good person won't kill his friend!"

"And you're not dead."

Naruto rolled his eyes. "According to you I should be."

"I was calculating normal Sasuke's actions, but he seems to have a weak spot for you. So?"

"So what?"

"So what are you planning on doing? You can't just let him avoid you forever,"

"And I'm not." Naruto sighed, looking at his hands. "I don't know what to do. Never did I think he was quitting because he was going blind. It's so unfair, he has such a skill and yet…."

"Life is shit; there is nothing we can do about it."

"I….right now, I don't know what to say to him, even if we met. I don't know if I should pry into the matter, console him or just act as if I didn't know about it."

"I don't think Sasuke wants you to console him, he made peace with his condition a long time ago. I believe since he was a kid, he knew that someday he'd go blind and there is nothing he could do to prevent it."

Naruto felt his heart break. "What do you mean since he was a kid?"

"That's his story to tell. Anyhow, you two can't continue like this, and I won't let you."

Shikamaru walked towards their manager with a small smile on his lips, he whispered something inside her ear and slowly, she turned to Naruto with glinting eyes, a cold chill controlled his body.

* * *

Naruto had to blink at the set of lights the shone from the car facing him. Sasuke smirked and clicked his passenger seat open. No words were needed as Naruto pulled his bag and himself off the staircase he was sitting on for the past three hours and made himself home on Sasuke's front leather seat.

"You are late."

"I told Shikamaru I wouldn't be able to pick you up early."

Naruto frowned. "It's not like I wanted to wait for your ass, either. But they kicked me! The bastards just opened the door and kicked me out!"

Sasuke started the engine and pulled them away from the hotel that had turned into their home for these past few weeks.

"You must've done something wrong. Shikamaru doesn't just kick people out."

"Well, he does! I did nothing wrong!"

"Hmm….then I wonder what he was thinking."

"Something along the lines of not wanting you to drive alone."

Sasuke smirked. "And you're my what? Watchdog?"

"In your dreams, Ass. I'm the poor player who has no say in the pyramids of power."

"Hum…poor player you say." Sasuke mumbled as he made a turn to the right.

"What was that?"

"Nothing. Tell me, did you eat?"

The blond raised a suspicious eyebrow but answered nonetheless. "Nope, aside from breakfast which was hours ago."

"Good, 'cause I brought you something with me. It's in the back."

Naruto turned around and a bag with a restaurant's name that he was sure wouldn't be able to pronounce was left on the backseat. He wriggled his way there and got the bag to his lap. Wasting no time into asking Sasuke's permission into opening his lunch, Naruto rustled the inside of the bag.

"Hamburgers! How did you know I love them!"

Sasuke's smirk widened. "I asked myself, what would a child like to have for lunch? And the answer was given in bold letters."

Naruto threw a faint punch to the other's arm. "Jerk. But thanks."

"'Welcome, Dobe."

Sasuke lowered the speed and drove them in calm as to allow Naruto the time he needed to eat in peace. Truthfully, he was late because he was searching for the right restaurant that sells amazing burgers for Naruto to eat, but it would be his death if that were to slip out of his mouth. A tiny smile played on his lips at the genuine happy expression that showed on Naruto face.

These past weeks, he tried everything he could to avoid Naruto and not make eye contact with him. It wasn't because he was scared, no; it was because every time he made an eye contact with Naruto, he'd see the uncertainty play inside those blue depths that seemed to drag on him. And he didn't like that look on Naruto's face, so he decided to give the blond the time he needed to sort his feelings out and come to him with his decision.

"Sasuke, say 'Aaaa'!"

He raised a brow at the childish act, but opened his mouth at the pout that was already trailing Naruto's face.

"Aaaah…"

A piece of hamburger was placed in his mouth, Sasuke made sure to bite gently on the tan fingers before letting them roll out of his mouth.

"Aw, that hurt, Sasuke!"

Naruto glared and started licking his aching fingers with his mouth, taking his time into licking each finger free from the pain Sasuke's teeth had left. Sasuke's eyes strayed for a second from the road at the intoxicating way those fingers were getting sucked in. By the time he turned back to the road, he had to hit hard on the breaks before he smashed into the car in front of him. He released a silent sigh and slumped on the steering wheel.

"That's dangerous Naruto."

Two set of blue innocent orbs blinked at him. "Dangerous? What's dangerous?"

Sasuke shook his head and continued driving. "Never mind, just never mind."

They arrived to Naruto's house at nine in the evening. If traffic wasn't such a jam, they should have arrived at seven or seven thirty. Sasuke put a hand on his forehead and closed the door to his car. He didn't want to go inside Naruto's house right now, but the insistent blond refused to allow him to drive back to his God-knows-where house while he was driving nonstop for the past five hours.

Tracking Naruto inside the warm house, Sasuke put his jacket on the hanger beside the front door. While Naruto flew inside looking for his guardian. When Sasuke came into the living room, the two males were already in a bone crushing hug. The tiny feeling of jealousy was pushed to the back of his head and Sasuke coughed to alert the two that they have company.

"Sasuke-kun! How nice of you to stop by."

Sasuke nodded to the brunet with a small smile, a fact that he was trying to get used to around Naruto's guardian.

"He drove me back, Iruka. Make sure to get him something delicious to eat, since he hasn't."

"No…I'm good. You don't have to bother yourself."

"It's never a bother to feed you. Naruto," Iruka turned to his kid. "Go take a bath while I prepare you two something to eat."

"Roger!"

Naruto grinned to his father and took Sasuke's hand, running up the stairs while his sports bag was forgotten on the floor downstairs. As soon as they entered the room, Naruto pushed Sasuke on his bed and beamed at him.

"This is the first time you get into my room."

Sasuke shook his head. "I've been here two times already."

"Yeah, but the first time you were unconscious, and the second, I was unconscious. This is the first time both of us are conscious!"

"I guess you're right. But seriously, Naruto, I can't stay long."

Naruto pouted and a sad look rested on his face. "I know that and I don't want to be selfish, but I don't want you to leave yet."

"We'll see each other tomorrow."

"It's _'we can't see each other until tomorrow'_, Sasuke. Can't you just sleep over? Like we did back in the hotel?"

"The hotel was a special offer since I was already away from home. I can't just decide to sleep over out of the blue when I hadn't told or taken permission from any member of my family." Sasuke continued before Naruto told him to call now and do that. "And right now, it's impossible to do so."

The blond sighed and pulled his huge orange fox to his arms. "I thought you'd say something like that, it was a long shot from the start, but I couldn't not try."

"Yeah…." His dark eyes strayed to the tan hands playing with the huge plushie, Sasuke asked. "What's his/her name?"

"His. He is a male, and it's Kyuubi." Naruto's eyes softened. "It was mum's last birthday present for me. I tried to take good care of it, but the years are taking a toll on him."

Sasuke decided not to comment on the mother sentence but what came after it, he said while brushing the soft fur with his hand. "Looks fine to me."

Naruto's nodded with a nice smile and turned the fox over pointing to a rip near the butt. Soft cotton sprung out. "I tried to saw it and Iruka did, too. But it's still no good."

"Have you thought about taking it to someone who can fix stuff likes these?"

"Yep, but with my schedule and Iruka's work, we couldn't orchestrate a time together. Anyway, leave us from Kyuubi now; there is something I have to ask,"

The blue orbs facing his went serious and Sasuke smiled gently.

"What do you want to know?"

"How much longer 'till both your eyes go blind?"

The raven looked up from those shaking hands to those beautiful eyes. He gave Naruto a small smile then stretched his hand to touch a golden lock.

"You don't have to think about that."

"But I want to know."

"If you knew you'd be calculating the days, and that's something I don't want you to do."

Naruto bit his lip. "Isn't there anything we can do? An operation or something?"

"No, nothing can heal it since it's not a disease, it's a condition I had since birth. I always knew I would lose my sight one day. That's why I stopped calculating time, because I know how hard it is, you don't need to go through that."

Naruto took the hand that was playing with his hair and brought it close to his mouth.

"But it's hard, I feel useless, not being able to do anything to help you and just watch your sight slip away. It's too hard."

"That's why I didn't want to tell you, but at the same time," Sasuke moved a bit closer to the blond. "I needed you to know."

"I'll help you Sasuke, I may still not know how, but God help me, I'll find a way to."

Naruto brought that pale hand to his lips and gave it a tender kiss. Suddenly; he was pushed into his own bed with Sasuke on top of him. The air stood still for a second as the two just stared at each other. Naruto felt his breathing come out slower than usual as those onyx eyes sucked his attention. He let go of his fox and brought his hand to touch that black hair, he had always thought it was made of silk, but never got the chance to confirm his thoughts till now.

Sasuke allowed the feathery touch, he lowered his head and it was only a few inches a way from Naruto's lips. His heart throbbed and his mind tried to tell him something, but in that moment, he didn't know how to even think. Aside from the soft touches to his locks and the sapphire wonderful eyes calling him, Sasuke didn't know a thing.

He watched as the hands playing with his hair stopped and with them Naruto's eyes closed, Sasuke started closing his own eyes and getting nearer to those red rosy lips. He was so close he could sense Naruto's hot uncertain breath on his cheek; just a bit closer… closer….. a few centimeters away….

Then three loud knocks were delivered into Naruto's door, sending Sasuke toppling over the giant plushie and falling on Naruto's hard wooden floor, sufficiently breaking the hypnotic spell.

"Oh God, Sasuke, you alright?"

Sasuke waved his fall away then stood up. "Y-yeah...fine."

"Naruto, I brought your food." Iruka called from behind the door.

The blond wasted no time to getting up and opening the door to his guardian, but as soon as he did so, Sasuke rushed out of the room, with a faint goodbye to the blushing blond and the confused brunet.

* * *

"This face doesn't look like a face of a person whose team is qualifying for the Interhigh with a five outta five triumph!"

Sakura announced to the hazy looking blond sitting with the weight of the whole universe on his shoulders. Naruto spared her a glance then slumped back on his desk.

"Is it the face of a person who didn't play in any of those said five games? 'Cause that's what happened."

"Wow, really? Was it your arm?" Sakura put her backpack on the loop beside her desk and sat down.

"What else."

"I thought it should be healed by the fourth match."

"They didn't want to take any chances."

Sakura grinned and slapped him on the back. "Oh cheer up! You still have the semi-finals and hopefully the finals to play, no need to sound as if you won't be playing your whole life."

Teary eyes watched her and her grin turned into an apologetic smile, maybe slapping with all her might wasn't the best way to cheer her friend out of his misery.

"Sasuke…" Naruto groaned out.

"Sasuke? What, something happened with him again?"

Naruto shook his head, and with grim eyes turned. "No. He said you liked him."

Sakura's face turned to shock then started thinking and finally she gave Naruto a smile.

"Yep, I did."

"Really? Why? What did you see in him!"

"Keyword 'did', Naruto." She pulled her hair up again using the hair buckle that slipped from her ponytail. "When I thought he was a cool gentleman who thought about others, but he turned out to be an ass that only had sex on his mind. When I looked up the girls that were with him, they were only sex-friends. Nothing serious had ever started between him and any of his former girlfriends. And I admit, he has everything that would make a girl crazy, but I don't want a fling. I want something serious."

"So….you gave up?"

"Not really giving up, more like I settled for just watching. That type of guy doesn't look at me, Naruto."

Naruto knotted his brows. "I don't know about his exes Sakura, but Sasuke is a good person. I know he acts like a stupid jerk with a stick up his ass, but deep down, he is really not that bad."

"I don't want a broken person, Naruto. And that guy clearly is."

"I….Sakura, you are my best friend, and I love you. But…"

"You don't like me speaking like that about him."

"Yes, because I know Sasuke isn't really that broken…."

Sakura's eyes widened when she saw something inside Naruto's eyes that she'd never seen before. She blinked and looked again, and the same thing she saw was there, hiding behind uncertainty. She put a hand on her mouth and slowly, began putting two and two together.

Naruto noticed the sudden quietness Sakura had entered into and worried, he asked, "Hey, Sakura, something wrong?"

Sakura shook her head and gave him a true smile along with a pat on the shoulder.

"Naruto, I'm afraid to tell you this, but you have somehow fallen."

His brows knotted at her words and he straightened his back. "Fallen? Where to?"

"That, you'll have to find out on your own. Oh, there comes Kurenai; you'd better have prepared that homework she sternly wanted done, or you're in for a beating."

And suddenly Naruto's brain froze. "Oh fuck!"

* * *

Naruto yawned and put the pen he was using down, he looked with a faraway look at the boys playing basketball in front of him; with a heavy heart he sighed and returned back to his work. Kurenai had sentenced him to complete an English paper about what a proper company is made of. His words shouldn't be less than three thousand. He felt a tear roll down his cheek. How the hell would he know what a freaking company is made of when he doesn't even have one! Just how did this teacher of theirs think!

"Yo." Gaara took a seat beside the clearly agonizing blond; he put his headphones off and made himself comfortable on the grass. "I heard you've gotten a hard assignment to do."

"Hard is an understatement. It's a death warrant, pulling me along to my grave!"

Gaara switched his MP3 player off and smacked Naruto encouragingly on the back. "If you just focus you'd be able to do it. Try to concentrate."

"Even if I concentrated my whole entire life, I won't be able to get one word right. Since the topic has nothing to do with what I know of the world!"

"Wait, it's an English paper, right? English is all about books and poetry. Just read the book or poem and write what you feel. That will get you set."

"Unfortunately, that isn't what English in Kurenai's dictionary of subjects is. She wants me to talk about companies."

Gaara raised a nonexistent eyebrow. "Companies?"

"Yes, companies. Precisely what they are made of. How the fuck would I know something like that!"

Gaara calmly sipped from the juice he was holding. "Ahaaa…..I think you should go ask Sasuke for help then."

"What would he know about this more than I?"

"Don't tell me you don't know."

"Know what?"

"That Sasuke is the top of class in every subject and sport."

"That can't be, he isn't all that smart!"

"Yes, he is. Super smart. And even if he wasn't, this subject is his specialty,"

"Why for?"

"'Cause he runs his own company."

Gaara watched his blond friend run like lightning towards the classes of the second years. He whistled at the speed Naruto ran with and as he stood making his way towards their supposedly closed club, he contemplated if he should have caught up with Naruto and warned him about the chicks in Sasuke's class or not. Walking away and throwing the empty juice can in the trash basket, he shrugged, Naruto would find out the hard way, and that would teach him a good lesson not to run while people were still talking.

* * *

Naruto reached the class that Sasuke should be in and asked a girl on the side to call for Sasuke; she looked him up and down and crossed her arms.

"Who are you to call Sasuke-Ouji-Sama by his given name?"

"Huuuh? I'll call him whatever I want, just go and get him."

She snorted at Naruto. "The likes of you don't deserve a sitting with our Ouji-Sama."

Naruto ignored the snotty girl and passed her into the class.

"Yo, Sasuke, you in here?"

A series of startled hiccups followed his little question, Naruto sweat dropped at the dark aura heading his way. He blinked at the angry girls; maybe calling Sasuke by his given name around pissed off fan girls wasn't really the best thing to do around this classroom.

Before he could escape with his life, the girls attacked him with questions and some violent kicks here and there. He begged help from the guys present but each turned and acted as if they were blind to the bullying Naruto was undergoing.

"Help! Somebody, help!"

The girls cut the path for air for him and the only thing that was visible was his tan hand as he stretched it above to indicate he was still alive and kicking.

"What the hell is going on here?"

Suddenly, the girls surrounding him started to retreat and Naruto coughed his way to a clean air. Those chicks weren't even kidding; they planned to fucking kill him! He looked with misty eyes at Sasuke who was standing beside the door with a displeased look on his face. The same girl that barked at him when he was asking at the door for Sasuke, walked towards the raven with a sweet smile.

"Your friend here has come asking for you, Sasuke-Sama, and we were just seeing what he wanted." The girl lied through her strangely white teeth.

Naruto decided to stay away and watch what his still-not-real-friend would do faced with a situation like this. His eyes widened at the deathly aura coming from Sasuke, and even though he was smiling, Naruto felt the anger inside those dark orbs leak out.

"Well, thank you so much for the help you've given him then." The girl flinched at the look he was giving her. Sasuke made his way towards Naruto and said to the girl on their way out. "And yes, I don't believe I have given you permission to address me with my name. Hearing it coming from your mouth is disgusting."

Naruto watched the tears well up inside the girl's eyes as Sasuke closed the door to his homeroom. His eyes felt a sting of sympathy for her.

"That was a bit cruel, don't you think?"

Sasuke stopped in his tracks and slammed his hand on the wall behind Naruto. "And what they did to you wasn't cruel! Why the hell did you come to my classroom by yourself? Those girls would have bled you dry!"

"Umm…I didn't think it would be dangerous. I mean, who would've thought that the girls in your class are wolves in disguise!"

Sasuke sighed and started walking. "Every female around me is a wolf in disguise. You can't trust any of them."

"Yeah, I've learned my lesson."

"Good. Next time when you decide to come to my class, don't. I'll come to yours."

"How would you know that I need you then?"

"Give me your cell,"

Naruto pulled the orange cell out of his pocket and gave it to Sasuke. A few seconds later, a call was made from his cell.

"That's my number, I've already saved it. Whenever you have something you want to tell me, just call, or text."

"Is it really okay to give me this?"

Sasuke pulled Naruto inside a small alley when he saw a group of girls heading their way and started running, holding Naruto's hand till they reached the end of the small alley.

"We're not friends, but...something more. And it is more convenient this way."

Naruto felt his cheeks redden at the nice words that were given to him; he tightened his hold on Sasuke's hand and felt the grimness of earlier fly away.

"Come on, I have a place where no one will be able to find us!"

Sasuke nodded and allowed himself to be dragged for a change. As the wind played with his hair, he felt his mouth stretch into a smile. Of course, Naruto couldn't see unless he had eyes on the back of his head. Maybe choosing to be a trail-friend with the blond wasn't the worst decision he has ever made, Sasuke thought as they came out of the building into the stretching green grass. They jumped over fences and there was a point where Sasuke was starting to believe that they are leaving school parameters, but finally, Naruto stopped running.

"Over there, Sasuke!"

The raven looked at the almost shabby cottage behind the school's yard. He raised a brow.

"You wouldn't be meaning that rundown thing."

"Yep! I always go there when I want to skip class; Sakura was never able to find me. Come on!"

Naruto started running again while tugging the somewhat reluctant raven along.

"Hey, who does it belong to?"

"I think it's the old janitor's place. He used to live here but the school made him another better place so he moved out, and right now, they don't use it. I wonder why."

"Probably thinking it will come down any minute now."

Naruto pushed the door and went inside, with Sasuke tailing behind him. "Nah, it looks old, but it's very stable."

"And if you were wrong, we'd simply be buried alive."

"I'm not wrong, trust me."

"If I didn't, I wouldn't have entered to begin with."

Naruto grinned brightly and pulled one mattress from behind the bed then placed it on the dirty ground. He sat down on it and signaled Sasuke to do the same.

"You must be kidding me. I'm not sitting on this thing; the chances of it being filled with diseases aren't even fit for a joke!"

Naruto rolled his eyes. "Sasuke, don't you have the spirit of adventure in you?"

"Not when a slow and cold death is on the other end of the rope."

"Sheesh, there isn't any death in here and we won't die either, so relax and sit down. Besides, I brought it from home."

"Then why the hell didn't you say so from the beginning?" Sasuke said and plopped down beside the shrugging blond.

"I do come here often I told you. Now, the reason why I needed your help was this," Naruto pulled the sheets of paper and the pen in his left hand out and handed them to Sasuke. "This assignment is due by the end of this day; I should come up with a three thousand words about what a company is made of. And since you are the top of your class and you have your own company, help, please."

Sasuke sighed into the white sheets. "Who told you that?"

"Gaara did."

"You really don't lie, do you?"

"Why should I? Or did you want me to lie?" Naruto blinked puzzled.

Sasuke shook his head. "No, I didn't want you to. But a sane person would for not getting the person who told them in trouble."

"Will you get Gaara into trouble?"

"That's not what I mean."

"Then there is no problem, or did you not want me to know?"

"Well, it was nice to leave you in the dark a bit."

"About the company or the top-student thingy?"

"Both."

Naruto grinned bearing his teeth. "Too bad for you I'd found out then, and from this day onward, you'll have to buy my burgers 'till the day I die."

"I knew you were only after my money." Sasuke said in an icy-tone.

Quickly the playful look inside Naruto's eyes died down. "No, no, I was only joking. You know I don't want that. Even if you had no money, I'd still want to be close to you. I really did not mea-"

The pen came down hard on his yellow head stopping his next words.

"Baaaaaaakaa! I was kidding." Sasuke made eye contact with the now calmed down blond. "I wouldn't mind feeding you till the day you die, either."

Naruto broke the eye contact, feeling that if he didn't, they'd start an incident similar to that one they had in his room the other day. The blood rushed to his face when he remembered the thing they were about to do. He still didn't know what was happening to them, or to him, and right now, they were in a nice place. Naruto didn't want to ruin this nice place by anything his emotions were flaring at.

"Umm….s-shouldn't we start writing the assignment right now?"

Sasuke nodded to him and with Naruto trying to reduce his heart's beating, they started working on his paper.

* * *

Naruto stretched his numb arms back to life and took the hand that was given to help him up. He smiled at the stoic raven and walked beside him as they exited the cottage heading to where Kurenai's office was located.

"You really are amazing, Sasuke. I didn't know you knew so much about companies."

"I had to learn it since I was young."

"Must've been hard. But I'm glad you did it."

"Because I can help you with your assignment?"

Naruto grinned. "Because you are now growing cooler in my eyes by the second!"

Sasuke wrinkled his nose. "I hardly think that that makes up for my hellish childhood days."

"You should be honored, stupid Sasuke!"

Naruto stuck his tongue to his Senpai and ran before him; Sasuke just rolled his eyes at the ten-year-old he was walking with.

"Yeah, real mature, Dobe."

"You're just jealous because you can't do it!"

"Says the idiot who was almost beaten to death by a group of chicks."

"Hey! They were tougher than they look, besides, not all people have your effect on girls!"

Sasuke raised a brow and fell in stride with the latter. "Effect? If you mean getting them as stalkers, then I'd pass on that any day,"

"Not that, wait you've got stalkers?" Naruto asked bewildered.

"Yes, everywhere. In fact, there are two on our right towards two o'clock, right now."

Naruto turned swiftly towards the place Sasuke addressed and sure thing, two girls were looking back at them, as soon as they saw him they dunked into the overly growing light green grass. The red lips whistled.

"Wow, Sasuke. Life as you sure is hard."

"Hn."

"But that only assures what I want to say, you have a charm to sweep girls off their feet, they turn to mush around you. Not many guys have that."

Sasuke stopped moving forcing Naruto to do the same. "Do you want it? Want me to introduce you to some chicks?"

Naruto put his hands on his hips and knotted his brows. "Just how did me complimenting your excellent charms get translated into me asking for a date?"

"If you don't want to, stop speaking about nonsense like that. I don't like it and I don't want to hear you praise something like that in me."

Naruto watched Sasuke walk away, the words that Neji told him about Sasuke's brain working in a different rhythm than normal people's were just proven to him. He smiled and started running after the raven. If Sasuke didn't want to talk about his natural charm in attracting honey, then he won't be the one to speak of it.

"Wait up!"

"Hurry it, we only have one hour before the day ends."

"Yeah," Naruto caught up soon and they entered the school's building heading towards the teachers' lounge. "Sorry Sasuke for forcing you to skip classes with me and help me."

"You didn't force me into anything, so don't apologize. Go hand in your assignment so we can go home."

Naruto nodded and disappeared inside the wooden door. It took him fifteen minutes in which Sasuke had taken to grab his bag from his class and Naruto's from his, he'd ignored the puzzled and surprised expressions he'd gotten from Naruto's classmates when he asked them about the blond's seat but he was interested to learn how Naruto would handle his class-females jumping him first thing tomorrow morning demanding answers.

"Sorry, she started lecturing and it took a while. Man I feel drained!"

"I figured you would, so I brought you your bag. Here" Sasuke threw the black-strapped orange bag back to its owner. "And that bubblegum-haired-C-Cupped chick said to call once you get home."

Naruto rolled his eyes at the description of his best friend. "Her name is Sakura for starters. And she would think of you to be less of an A-hole if you remembered it."

"I don't need to."

"And why not? You should act nice once in a while. It would certainly help how the male-population views you here."

"I don't care about stuff like that; being nice is just a waste of time and effort. Besides, it's not like I want to have a relationship with her. The less contact, the better."

"Then why act nice towards me? We aren't going to know each other better, and this thing is only for trial. Why act nice?" Naruto found his mouth saying things that he didn't want to.

"We are trying to be friends. I acted according to how friends should behave around one another. And I don't think I'm acting overly nice for you to take a note."

"Yes you are."

"Do you hate it?"

"That's not what I'm saying."

"Then stop complaining about it. You want me to act nice towards people just to get them to like me? I hate that. I don't want anyone to like me, I'm happy with the way I am and if you aren't, well, we could always just stop with this trial-friendship crap and each goes his own way!"

Naruto held onto the raven's arm, feeling like if he didn't Sasuke would walk off in anger and this would be the end. He had just recently convinced Sasuke to try being friends, and he couldn't lose it over something silly like this.

With pleading eyes, he whispered a quiet. "I'm sorry."

Sasuke yanked his arm free and sighed at the apologetic look. Feeling his anger evaporate into thin air, he exclaimed. "It's fine, as long as you don't rub this shit on my face again."

"Won't happen, promise."

"Good. Now, there was something that's bothered me with your bubblegum haired friend. Did she maybe get a boyfriend?"

Naruto shook his head. "Not that I know of, why?"

"Her eyes stopped spurting hearts."

"Her eyes weren't spurting hearts to begin with, and no, she didn't get a boyfriend. Just made acquaintance with your jerkiness."

"That would explain things."

"Sakura is a nice girl, and anyone would love to be her boyfriend."

"I take it you haven't confessed yet."

Naruto glared at the raven beside him as they exited the school gates. "I admit that I have had a thing for her back in Middle School, but it's finished."

"Doesn't sound so finished to me, you just buried it down."

"No, I didn't bury anything down. It's…my eyes stopped following her as much as I used to, and before I knew it, she turned into a dear friend."

"Bullshit, you are saying that because you are just afraid she'd turn you down if you confessed."

"Give me a break here, Sasuke. That was in the past, I won't lie about my feelings to you, there is no need to. I don't like her like that period. She is just a friend."

"Then prove it."

Naruto frowned and crossed his arms. "Even if you tell me to prove it, how am I to do that?"

"Easy," Sasuke walked a few steps closer to the blond and whispered in a calm and quiet tone. "Kiss me."

If his heart wasn't beating fast because of their close proximity, it did now due to Sasuke's husky voice whispering misguided words to him. Naruto took a deep breath, prepared his heart to start working properly again and tried the words on his lips.

"Kiss you?"

"Yes. If your heart had truly stopped liking the bubblegum haired chick, then you'd be able to do it. If not, you'd chicken out."

Naruto looked with horrified eyes at the stoic teen before him; he was acting like what they were speaking about was merely the weather and nothing more.

"Sasuke, kissing someone can't be done as a proof to something."

"Yes, it can. Or are you scared?"

"Who gets scared of kissing?"

"Apparently you."

Naruto released the nervous air inside him in gaps and told himself to try and talk this one out with sanity. "I'm not scared, but surprised, why would you choose something like that to prove I don't have emotions for Sakura?"

"For four reason. One, it's harmless. Two, emotions are mostly expressed in kisses. And three, we have already kissed before, so it's nothing serious."

The blue eyes pulled out of their sockets in a state of shock. Naruto gritted his teeth and pulled Sasuke to a place where people won't be able to spot them, then released the roar that was building in inside of him.

"THE FUCK!"

"I'd take that as _'when'_. The first one was when you were unconscious outta fever, I had to crush the medicine and feed it to you by mouth because you refused to take it on your own. The second was when you fainted in the sea, I had to give you air for your ass not to die."

Naruto ruffled his hair trying to relax. Processing the information he was hearing, his anger started dying down, the raven had done so to help him. His kisses weren't stolen in a sneaky sickly way as he had believed, but to save his life. All was well again with the world.

"Okie, so your two times kissing were reasonable, but those aren't really kisses. Those were your tries not to let me…umm….die? In any case, kisses should be gentle, warm, takes you to another place. And they should be about pleasure, not life and death situations."

"Which leads me to the forth reason why I want you to prove with a kiss, you actually hold the damn thing to a value and won't be able to do it if you don't like the person."

Naruto held his hands stopping the taller teen from any more words.

"Let's go with your logic, shall we? Wouldn't then me being able to kiss you proof that I like you?"

"And that you don't like her."

"Sasuke, I can't kiss you."

"Then you still like her."

"I told you I don't, but I won't prove it with a kiss either."

Sasuke raised a brow at the blond standing beside him; he ignored Naruto's protest to stay away and trapped him between the wall and his chest.

"What are you scared of?"

"I'm not scared of anything."

"Then what's wrong with a mere kiss?"

"Nothing…except that you wouldn't think of it as a normal kiss! You'd think I've a thing for you!"

"If your sole reason for objecting is what I'll come to believe, then how about I tell you that I won't think anything of the kiss. Apart from that you no longer hold feelings for bubblegum head. Would you agree then?"

"Well, when you put it that way…." Naruto's eyes darted alongside his sentence.

"It's settled then."

"Hey! I didn't agree still!"

Sasuke acted as if the shouts weren't being directed to him and pulled Naruto's chin upwards with his right fingers, he drew his face closer to the tan one then whispered, "This will be a kiss to remember."

With that, he closed his lips over Naruto's, letting them both bask in the brief touch of skin. Slowly, he turned the chaste kiss into something deep as he nipped on Naruto's lower lip asking for entrance that was given to him without meaning when Naruto gaped in surprise. Sasuke used the open chance and inserted his tongue into Naruto's warm depth. Naruto tried to protest, but as the hand he used to push Sasuke with was holding the raven not to move away and his lips were tingling with every touch Sasuke made, he couldn't keep up his protests and against his better judgment, melted into the sweet kiss.

Sasuke parted for oxygen but only after licking the trail of saliva off of Naruto's now red puffy lip and then giving them a chaste kiss. He held the teen that turned to jelly in his arms and a smirk played on his lips.

"That good, huh?"

Swiftly, Naruto perked up, looked with wide eyes at what had just happened and before Sasuke could say any word, he bolted away towards God knows where. Sasuke sighed and scratched his head, thinking that maybe his teasing had gone a bit too far this time. Holding his dirt filled bag off the ground, his mouth stretched into a smile. That kiss wasn't all that bad.

* * *

Kakashi pulled the blond by the hand screaming and kicking. He ignored the strange looks he was getting from the people passing by and led the way towards his car.

"Let me go! I told you, I don't want to go!"

"And I don't want your bratty ass in my apartment, either. But it's what Iruka wishes for, and I won't stop fulfilling his desires for your sake."

"It's only one fucking week! I can manage just fine!"

"He doesn't think so, and I agree. Just shut your trap already! You make people think I'm kidnapping you."

"That 'cause you are!"

"No, am not. I'm doing a favor."

Kakashi threw Naruto and his luggage at the backseat then closed the door and walked towards the driver seat before Naruto decides that jumping out the car and playing police and robbers with him was the best idea there ever was. As he started driving, Kakashi fixed his front mirror so he could see the face of the pouting kid on his backseat.

"Iruka is acting super worried for nothing!"

"If you weren't a trouble magnet, he wouldn't have to do that."

"Hey! I'm not a trouble magnet! And why do I have to stay with you of all people! If he was all that anxious about leaving me alone, then you come stay with me at my own house, where I know the place of the knives!"

Ignoring the shouts, Kakashi pulled the car away from the house. "Stop flattering yourself, Idiot, if I wanted you harm, no knife in the world will be of any use to you. And besides, I have my own work, and I can't do that from your place since it's too far."

"Work? You work!"

Kakashi threw a piece of the leftover popcorn that was thrown on his front seat at Naruto's forehead. "You thought all of us out there are useless brats like yourself."

"Am not useless, I study!"

"Sure you do."

"Anyways, what do you work? Don't tell me you're a writer, too?"

Kakashi raised a brow at the tone. "You've something against writers?"

"I've had enough of them. Iruka's friends are all writers and when they get together, they start talking with a language I don't understand!" Naruto pouted. "Writers are boring!"

"They're not boring; you're just too stupid to understand their beauty. When Iruka speaks about a new book that he has an interest in, I listen with passion, his face lights up and his voice charms me off my feet."

"Yuck!" Naruto made a sign as if he wanted to throw up. "You just made me feel like puking! How the heck am I to get that nasty image out of my head!"

"That's nasty? Then how about I tell you about our first time having sex. You do need experience!"

"Oh God NO! I hope my ears burn on fire before I hear another word of the toxic mouth of yours!"

"Iruka loves it, especially when I use my tongue."

"Enough already! You're just traumatizing me! I'm calling him right now to tell him of your perverseness!"

"If you did that you'd only make him worry. I know you dislike me, but stop making him worry."

Naruto put his cell back into his pocket; he jumped to the front seat with his cheeks puffing.

"I wasn't going to call him, you know. He isn't important to you only."

"I know. That's why you'll get along with me just fine. Besides, Sasuke will come visit from every now and then."

Naruto was even surprised at his own reaction; he jumped over the driving adult with wide eyes holding the steering wheel.

"No, he can't! You can never tell Sasuke of where I am!"

Kakashi knotted his brows in confusion and reduced the speed before Naruto got them into an accident. "Weren't you two getting to be good friends? What happened?"

The blond returned to his seat and sighed with a heavy heart.

"Nothing really….he didn't do anything, it's me, I'm getting weird."

"Weird?"

Naruto put his head on the glassy window beside him and looked out at the moving scenery. "You won't get me even if I told you."

"Why not try me? I may be of use."

"You won't tell Iruka?"

"If you don't want me to, then no."

Naruto sighed and put his arms around him as a way to shelter himself then started talking. "I don't know how or why, but I get weak. Last week, we kissed."

Kakashi hit the breaks so fast that Naruto had to hold tight to his safety belt not to get thrown out the window.

"You two WHAT! Who started it, you or him?"

"Umm…him."

"Aghhh, that stupid boy! I even warned him not to lay his hands on you, and then he goes and does the exact opposite!"

"Excuse me?"

Kakashi cursed under his breath and started the car again seeing as how he'd parked in the middle of the highway causing horns to sing at his back joint with a shower of insults.

"Just ignore what you've just heard. Did you feel yourself getting weak before or after you two kissed?"

Naruto nodded with a confused look and started tipping his indexes together. "Well, I could feel from the start that there was something changing. We weren't friends, Sasuke didn't want me as a friend, and I just wanted to be beside him. At the beginning, it was because he was more than good at basketball, but gradually, I started wanting to get closer because I saw different sides of him. And I liked every side."

"Then, feeling weak?"

"That I think started after the kiss. Yes, I could feel something dangerous forming whenever we were close to each other, but when Sasuke suggested I prove I didn't like my best friend by kissing him, I just…couldn't refuse."

"Hold your horses, tiger. He told you to kiss him?"

"Yes, because he didn't believe I stopped liking my best friend."

"You mean that Haruno girl?"

Naruto rolled his eyes at himself. "Was I all that obvious people!"

"Nope, we Uchiha can detect feelings easily."

"But you're not an Uchiha, you're a Hatake."

"I do have blood from them."

"Yeah, I forgot. So anyways, Sasuke said that if I didn't kiss him, that means I still have feelings for Sakura. I argued as hard as I could, but when he got close, my body stopped resisting. And we kissed."

Kakashi pulled inside a big apartment complex building and parked his car in the sideway parking lot made for cars of his building. He opened the doors and signaled Naruto to get out alongside his baggage.

"Seems like you two just went with the flow that time, why are you afraid of facing him then?"

Naruto contained his awe at the beautiful apartment complex before his eyes and followed Kakashi to the elevator.

"I'm not afraid."

"Then what? I'm sure Sasuke will act as if nothing big has happened, kisses don't mean that much to him in the first place."

They came out on the sixth floor and Naruto felt something stab his heart at those words. Kakashi sensed the steps behind him lose their spark and he raised a brow. Walking towards his apartment's door, he opened it and invited Naruto inside, if they were seriously about to discuss what he had in mind, then it wouldn't be right to do it in the hallway.

"Tell you what, why not go change you clothes, take a warm bath and then you can get whatever you want off of your chest."

Naruto gave the silver haired adult a small smile and nodded. "Okay."

"Come," Kakashi offered Naruto a brief tour around the apartment and stopped before a room. "This will be yours as long as you stay here."

The door opened to a light brown room. It was spacious enough with little decorations, a bed and a computer in the left corer. Naruto put the bag he was holding on the bed beside his fox and looked at Kakashi with clear eyes.

"Did you prepare this room especially for me?"

"Yes, we were talking about the possibility that Iruka may have to take a trip to discuss the book two weeks ago, and we decided to make you a permanent room here." Kakashi gave him a smile. "So, whenever you feel like you don't have a place to be in, come over, you're always welcome."

Naruto didn't know what to say but a simple, "Thanks."

"No need to, I'm doing it because I'm banging your father. Now, wash up and come to dinner."

All the thoughts about how nice and cool Kakashi had turned out to be, evaporated into thin air the next minute. Naruto slumped on the comfortable bed and held his Kyuubi to his chest.

"I hope everything turns out alright."

* * *

Kakashi took a deep breath from the stick in hand and then let it out. He watched keenly the teen that was hugging his couch's cushion with a troubled expression on his face. They had just finished with food, takeout of course, and now, they were finishing up that conversation they weren't able to earlier.

"So, how many days have you being hiding from him?"

Naruto fidgeted at the hard stare and answered. "Close to a week now."

"But don't you two meet in club activates?"

"They are having this week as a rest. But in order to rehabilitate my arm; I do special training with Neji, the Vice-Captain."

Kakashi took a sip from the glass of wine in his other hand and puffed the smoke.

"From experience, I'd tell you that Sasuke is probably furious. He ignores people, but when a person he cares for ignores him, he turns into a stubborn kid."

"I don't want him to be mad, but that kiss kinda messed me up a little. And I am afraid of what to do when we meet next."

"After some yelling, you'll work something out. You still want to be friends with him, right?"

Naruto tightened his hold on the cushion in his arms. "We haven't been friends to start with."

"Then what are you?"

"Sasuke said something more."

Kakashi felt his eyes widen at Naruto's words and the fear he had was getting thicker. He pulled another cigarette since his had already gone out and lit it.

"This is getting more tangled than I'd like to see happen. Naruto, as your dad's boyfriend, I have to warn you. The Uchiha family is dangerous. It's best not to associate with them or Sasuke. This is a chance that came knocking on your door; Sasuke won't hold it against you if you stayed away from him now."

"I can't do that! I can't! I…..I promised him not to leave him."

"There will be heavy consequences to pay, you know."

"I don't care. I won't betray him!"

Kakashi scratched his head and sighed. "You're more stubborn than Sasuke when he was a kid, and take my words, that child was really stubborn."

"You knew Sasuke when he was a child?"

"Yes. I was living with them 'till I graduated high school. That house is a living graveyard, I could never breathe in there and everyday I put my eyes on the prize of getting out. I can only feel sorry for not being able to take Sasuke out with me in time. But this is nothing we can change now."

"Is it really that bad?"

"Imagine living inside a coffin, with nails forbidding your every move and forcing you to act in a certain manner. That's what's life inside that house is like."

"Sasuke," Naruto breathed the name softly. "I really shouldn't have avoided him these past few days. While I was worrying about stupid emotions, he was living this hell each and everyday."

"I wouldn't worry about it if I were you, he has already adapted to it. It has become a part of his life, but he doesn't want it to be a part of yours. So, you should take my advice and stay away."

"Would you stop it already! No matter how many times you or he says it, I won't leave him. Did you know he is going blind by the end of this year? How do you think I can just leave him when he needs me now more than ever!"

Kakashi blew the air over them, Naruto brushed it aside, already getting used to the smell of smoke that was surrounding him from all sides.

"I know. And I've searched for as long as I can for a way I can help him with."

"And? Tell me you could find something, an operation or anything."

"The deal with Sasuke's eyes is that the vein supplying the eye with blood is deformed by nature, and any operation on it would render Sasuke blind instantly. Over the years many doctors were consulted about it, but they all said the same thing, Sasuke's eyes are unapproachable."

"No way. Then we are just going to stand while he turns blind!"

"You have nothing you can do, so stop thinking about it. Sasuke has already been prepared for the day he goes blind."

Naruto bit his lips. "But I don't like it; I want Sasuke's eyes to see. I want him to be able to play basketball with me as long as we live. I want to see the twinkle inside his beautiful eyes forever."

"Why Naruto, you sound just like a girl in love." Kakashi teased and had to dodge the cushion that found its way to his face.

"Jerk, I'm being serious here!"

"Then stop thinking of stupid things as eternity. We can't even guarantee tomorrow. Think about the present day, live the present day and don't reflect too hard on Sasuke's eyes. Even if he wasn't able to see into the future, would that make you dislike him?"

"No, it wouldn't. But….I can't imagine him not seeing me."

Naruto told the tears in his eyes to stop gathering, because there wasn't a need for them right now. Sasuke wasn't dying for God's sake.

"Naruto, you have school tomorrow, right?"

Confused by the sudden change of topics, Naruto nodded. "Yes."

"You won't be going."

"Why?"

"Because I'm calling Sasuke over. Tomorrow, I won't be home so," Kakashi sighed. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but take your comfort. Work things out and stop hiding."

"Even if you tell me to do that….I can't out of the blue,"

"It's not out of the blue, I'm telling you now. Naruto, if you stayed like this, you'd drift apart and I know you didn't intend for this to be a way for leaving Sasuke, but believe me, that is what he is thinking right now."

"But…I…Sasuke, my heart drops just thinking about him."

"Dropping is fine; just make sure to pick it up later."

"I'm afraid I won't want to pick it up."

"Sure you will. Just like you will now go to your room because it's past eleven."

"It's not like I'm going to school tomorrow."

"Yes, but I won't start messing your sleeping time, 'cause then Iruka would find out and it would be hell to pay. So, be a good boy and off to bed."

"Sheesh, I'm not a kid anymore and I don't have a bedtime!"

"Sure you don't."

Naruto pouted as he was forced into his room and to his bed, but as he lay in those warm sheets and was looking into a different ceiling than his own. He felt his heart throb and the image of Sasuke float into his senses like liquid honey. Anticipation mixed with fear ruled his eyes as he tried to close them to sleep.

* * *

**Done! I tried to make the kiss flow between them easily, not to force it hard on the plot, and I think I managed that just fine. I'll be waiting for your reviews. No matter what they are! Thanks for reading. The next chapter will be up as soon as I can find a Beta *weeps*, so stay tuned. **


	6. Chapter Six

**Author's Notes:**

**At last, people! I was able to find me a Beta! Hooray! I can finally get chapters of this fic out! And only God knows how much I wanted them out! :D. So, a million thanks to my amazing new Beta, XxDreaming of RealityxX. I'm so happy to have found you! Okie, now that my happiness have been known to the world. Here is the sixth chapter, I personally love it, and hope my lovely readers do, too.**

**Enjoy~**

* * *

"Alright," Kakashi looked at the watch he was wearing and grabbed his lab coat. "It's time for me to get going. Naruto, there are leftovers in the fridge, if you don't want them, call any place and have them deliver you whatever you want to eat. There is a list of restaurants beside the phone, my favorites."

"Who's paying?"

"The money is on the second drawer beside the phone." Kakashi raised a warning finger, knotting his brows in distress. "Don't go spending it all on a fancy name with stuff that you won't be eating like last time!"

Naruto gave him a cheesy smile. "It did taste a bit good."

"You threw up in the garbage can after the first bite."

"My stomach wasn't agreeing with the new taste, that's all."

"Your whole digestive tract wasn't agreeing. Naruto, just spare me the extra money and buy something you can pronounce."

Naruto waved the retreating adult with a smile. "And you try not to kill anyone today."

The silver haired man ignored the remark and hurriedly made his way towards the door, hoping that the money he'd spent such long hours into making, didn't go down the drain because of a careless kid.

Naruto started buttering his toast with extra cream cheese**;** then some jam on top to sweeten the taste. Learning that Kakashi was in fact a doctor came as a shock to him. He wriggled his nose **-** who would have thought that the pervert actually made a living out of saving people's lives**?** He sure didn't. But then again, the apartment he was living in seemed to be really expensive for someone with a normal income. Docs really have it nice.

Naruto rolled his eyes at his own remark, swallowed his toast in one bite, and stood up**,** taking his dirty dish to the sink and washing it, before putting it into its rightful place. Stretching his tiredness away, he decided to do some basketball exercises to awaken his sleeping muscles. Even if he was to miss school, that didn't mean he should slack on his training, they only had three weeks to rest 'till the semi-finals, and his arm needed to get back in shape from its three-weeks dorm.

He went back to his room and got his ball out, taking his MP3 player in the meantime and switching some of the songs he used to practice to on. He dribbled his way across the dimly lit hall;across Kakashi's expensive furniture; paying attention not to break anything – 'cause it was coming out of his allowance – and into the living room. Naruto put his MP3 player on top of the TV, seeing as it was the best place to make his music louder, and hooked it up with the speakers close by to begin practicing.

The living room was the most spacious room in the whole beautiful apartment. Naruto was forbidden to enter some rooms because Kakashi said he liked his privacy and even though he felt curious as to what lay inside; he knew how to respect other's wishes. That and the threat to be kicked out was always vividly reminding him of the consequences. So, as he threw the ball to the wall and it rebounded back to his open arms, Naruto had little to compare the spacious living room with. Perhaps one of those forbidden rooms had a space better than this, but since he wasn't able to see, this was the airiest.

After a few dribbles with himself**,** and failed shots to the sofa, Naruto puffed his cheeks and slammed on the soft armchair holding his ball lazily.

"I'm bored. Playing here isn't fun at all."

He threw the ball up and stretched his hands to grab it, thinking that maybe the time had come for him to go off somewhere and have a bit of fun besides being cooped up inside the huge casket. Naruto jumped to his feet and cracked his neck, heading towards his room to retrieve his jacket and some cash to wander around Kakashi's apartment complex with; determined to uncover the secret basketball court that he knew existed somewhere close by. Before he could make his way towards his room, the doorbell rang forcing him to swirl back thinking that Kakashi might have left something behind.

As he neared the door, his heart released an odd thump. He knotted his brows at his own emotions and shaking them off, he opened the door. His eyes widened and the ball in his hands fell to the ground as the name of the handsome boy slid out of his mouth like a serene melody.

"Sasuke…"

Naruto felt his heart thump again at those beautiful sharp eyes that he didn't know he missed so much 'till now. His tips tingled and his face contradicted the sea of emotions running inside of him. Sasuke looked him straight in the eyes and only one word was said.

"Come."

With that, the raven began walking away. Naruto woke up from his shock and quickly picked up his ball, put on his sneakers and rushed out the apartment before Sasuke disappeared from his sight.

Unfortunately**, **he wasn't fast enough to catch him in the elevator, so, gritting his teeth, he ran down the stairs with his beloved ball tugged behind his arm. Six floors. When he was making his way down, Naruto cursed Kakashi, just why would a person want to live on the freaking sixth floor!? And that damn elevator, it was going down faster than his leg could carry him down. A brief thought about jumping down flashed inside his mind; yet, he ignored it thinking that he wouldn't be of any use to Sasuke dead.

Finally, the hellish torture came to an end. Naruto caught his breath and looked around the lounge; again, he broke into a run when he spotted Sasuke's black locks leaving the apartment complex. He did want to call the raven to stop, but the aura around Sasuke informed him that the only answer he'd get would be a hard deathly glare. So the blond shut his trap and continued running behind the obviously pissed off Ace.

Naruto took a turn around a corner to the left of the complex, and sure thing, Sasuke's image was stopping beside what appeared to be a street court. His running feet relaxed into a welcomed stroll 'till he reached the court, whilst his blue orbs watched Sasuke dispose of his long-strap bag and roll up his sleeves with a challenging glare inside his onyx eyes.

"Come."

Naruto didn't need to be told twice to know the meaning of this. He threw the ball he was carrying up to the air and their match began.

* * *

Sasuke tossed the bottle of water in his hands to Naruto and clicked open his own. Naruto nodded a silent thanks to him and started drinking. Their game went as expected. He was able to hold his position for the first five minutes. But Sasuke was coming at him with all his might, making the challenge a complete death match. Of course, Naruto lost at the first ten minutes with a huge difference in points that he stopped counting.

His cerulean eyes wandered to the sweating pale teen. He smiled. Maybe he couldn't beat Sasuke, but he did get him to sweat.

"Come."

The blue eyed blond felt like complaining. The only word that was given to him since morning was 'come'. He wasn't a freaking dog to be ordered around like that! Yet, as his body obeyed the orders, he felt a tear slid**e** down his cheek** -** how pathetic was he getting? His body was already in synch with Sasuke's orders rather than his own mind's. He really was becoming a dog. And a damn obedient one at that.

Sasuke led the way back to Kakashi's apartment. The whole walk was in silence. Every time Naruto's mind would think of something to say, his mouth would chicken out to verbalize it. And so, they remained in tranquillity. Naruto felt himself cringe at the open door**;** if Kakashi had known he'd run out without locking his apartment's door, he'd have killed him. Sending a 'please-keep-your-mouth-shut-about-this' look towards the raven walking beside him, Naruto strolled inside. He was glad that nothing was missing as far as he could tell, but then again, there were always those three rooms that wereforeign to him **-** if anything in them went missing, he would be the prime suspect.

"I'm taking a shower; there is a change in that room over there. Get it."

Naruto looked back at where Sasuke was pointing, it was one of the three rooms Kakashi said he shouldn't go in. but….Sasuke was telling him to. Naruto came to stop with his inner reason and nodded against his better judgment to Sasuke's demand.

As he opened the door to the forbidden room, he blinked. It was a very normal area, with not much furniture, just a bed, a closet and a nightstand. The walls weren't even done. Light blue everywhere he looked. Naruto walked towards the closet and squeaked the door open. A number of clothes were inside, but they were all black. Naruto frowned at the united color and chose a set of clothes that he thought would look good on Sasuke**; **then strode out.

Walking towards the bathroom, he knocked on the brownish door and called. "Sasuke, I've brought your clothes."

"Get in, it's open."

Naruto turned the knob and the door opened. As soon as he was in, he had to dart his eyes at the wonderful naked body bathing calmly in warm steamy water. He put the clothes on top of the laundry basket and turned to walk out.

"Where are you going?"

"Umm…out?"

The blond heard steps leaving the bathtub and suddenly a wet hand grabbed his wrist.

"Guessed wrong."

He blinked at the speed his clothes seemed to leave him in, and before he knew it, he was stark naked and being hauled into the bathtub alongside an already clean Uchiha. Naruto felt his cheeks redden at the situation he was in.

"Sasuke…umm…you know, I can take my shower after you finish."

"No, you can't."

Naruto looked around him and the excuse that the bathtub was too small for two people rolled up his sleeve **-** since Kakashi decided that getting a grand bathroom alongside a grand apartment was such a grand fucking idea. Naruto calmed his ragging nerves and contemplated the fact that he should maybe disappear inside the water, but there weren't any bubbles to hide under, they weren't inside that beautiful Jacuzzi anymore. He made a mind's note to force Sasuke into taking him to that room once more and decided to accept his fate.

"Why were you avoiding me?"

And he felt his blood run dry. Naruto knew that this question was coming at some point during this marvellous day, but with the way Sasuke was choosing to ignore it, the subject kind of slipped out to his mind's junkyard. Fluttering his hands on the water, he answered truthfully.

"Because I didn't know how to react."

"To what?"

"The…" His cheeks burned with each letter. "Kiss."

"Is it because you thought I'd take it as you falling for me?"

Naruto shook his head causing water to splash between them. "Not that."

"Then?"

"I just felt weird after."

"Define weird."

Upon recalling the unfamiliar heart throb, the blankness that controlled his thoughts and the sweet way his body seemed to melt into Sasuke's arms, Naruto felt his face flame.

"Just weird…..anyways, isn't it about time we get out? It's getting hot in here!"

Before his feet could step out of the tub, Sasuke grabbed his recently healed right arm causing Naruto to stumble back into the lukewarm water and over his lap. The blue orbs blinked the water out.

"Sasuke…that's dangerous!"

"It's your fault for trying to walk out when I wasn't done talking yet."

"Even so…..there are gentler ways to get another's attention."

"With the time I had, it was the quickest."

The hot air tickled him when the other spoke and Naruto tried to wriggle his way free.

"Umm….alright, nothing bad had happened, but would you mind letting me go now?"

Sasuke released his hold on the tan arms and Naruto used his right hand to get up and out of the warm lap, but soon his face caught on fire upon sensing something soft and alien make contact with said hand. Naruto spared a glance downward and his blush deepened. Quickly his hand jolted away from Sasuke's dick making the tender meat slideout of it softly. He sprung back to a sitting position, feeling his heart skip over some beats.

"S-Sorry."

Suddenly Naruto felt a warm hand fondle and cup his own dick; he looked with wide surprised eyes at the dark-eyed teen across and his mouth hung open. Sasuke drew his hand away and licked it proving that yet again, Naruto's face could get even darker shades of red.

"Now, we are even."

Naruto didn't answer because he didn't think his voice was working right about that moment.

"Getting back to our original topic," Sasuke let the shower's water fall on his face, gluing those beautiful azure orbs to him, he released a smirk. "The weird feeling you've got, was it because you hated the kiss?"

"I…." Telling his eyes that staring so openly was rude on some level, Naruto coughed and switched his gaze. "Ehem…I don't think so, since I didn't hate it."

"Then, you loved it?"

"Don't know that either."

"Will you know if we kissed again?"

At the suggestion, Naruto felt his brain flash to alarm at the incoming meltdown and his heart rush to his throat.

"I…ummm….that's something I don't know either." Using his mind for once, Naruto continued. "But, Sasuke, why would you want to do it again? The first time you forced me because you wanted to prove that I don't have feelings for Sakura, and I don't. But now….I can't really see a reason."

"It's because of that weird feeling you've got. If you keep on with the 'I don't know' you'd only continue avoiding me more. I don't like it. So, if we figure that weird feeling you've had, we can make it disappear and you'd 'know' what you felt."

Naruto felt his eyes tender at the beautiful words coming out of that stoic statue like face.

"Sasuke, even if we didn't figure out what I felt, my avoiding you has nothing to do with it. I was just afraid you see,"

And Sasuke raised a fine brow. "Afraid?"

"Yeah….of what to say when we meet again. Somehow, after the kiss, it felt wrong to walk up and act as if nothing had happened."

Sasuke smirked as something inside his brain clicked.

"Naruto, I may be wrong and correct me if I **a**m but," Sasuke splashed water as he made his way closer to the fidgeting blond. "Was that perhaps your first kiss?"

Naruto puffed his cheeks, clearly not fan of the smirk that plastered on those godly lips.

"No, it wasn't! My first kiss was taken by a jackass as he was giving me a stupid medicine when I freaking wasn't even conscious!"

Sasuke's eyes widened for a brief second then his smirk turned into a charming smile.

"I'm honoured."

Naruto pushed the lovely face out of his sight. "Honoured my ass!"

"Naruto**.**"

"What!?"

Before he could suck air into his lungs and prepare for the attack, Sasuke jumped on his lips, kissing the life out of him. Naruto pushed the remarkably strong chest away, but Sasuke refused to budge.

"Air…ummm…Sasu…nnm...ai….rr…!"

After a nip to the delicious tongue and a kiss to the swollen lips, Sasuke let go of the struggling blond.

"Sweet."

Naruto ignored the buzz that jolted to his manhood and walked out of the bathroom holding a towel over his growing erection and praying that Sasuke gave him a minute or two to take care of the problem that he had caused before getting out himself.

* * *

"How much longer?"

"Three minutes."

"You said that three minutes ago!"

Sasuke pushed the whine to the back of his head and suggested. "Go play with something 'till I finish."

"I'm too hungry to do that." Naruto mumbled under his breath then stood up from the slump he was on and walked forwardto peer over Sasuke's shoulder to the food that was still on fire.

"It looks done to me."

"It isn't, just go sit down and I'll bring it when it's done."

Naruto sulked and grabbed at the black hoodie Sasuke was wearing from the back. "But I'm hungry! I haven't eaten since morning!"

"Stop acting as if morning has been ages ago, it's still two! And go set the table instead of hooking my clothes like a pouting dog!"

Naruto huffed at the treatment and let go of the hoodie, he made his way towards the tableware cabinet and got the things they needed then placed them on the dining table and slumped back to his original position on it.

"Sasuke, hasn't it been three minutes yet?"

"There's just a little left, bring me that cheese, would you?"

At hearing the name of the last decoration being called, Naruto ran like lightning towards the fridge, got the cheese out and handed it to Sasuke to peal over his dish. The appetizing aroma made his stomach grumble and it wasn't long before his mouth started to water.

"It looks delicious."

"Sure it does. I made it."

"Egoistical much?"

Sasuke hit the blond beside him on the head and gave a calm glare. "Want to eat or not?"

Naruto's moth broke into a grin. "I would like that very much, Sasuke-Sama."

"Good, then take this while I make the salad. Don't start nipping at it 'till I come, hear me!"

"Yepth!"

A few minutes later, Sasuke walked out of the kitchen holding a plate of freshly green salad with olive oil, he went back to get the water and juice out then sat and said his thanks.

"Okay, dig in."

Naruto happily obliged. His eyes turned to stars at the taste. "Sasuke, marry me!"

Sasuke looked amused at the glowing teen beside him. "Ask me that when you've beaten me at Basket."

Pouting, Naruto continued eating. Sasuke mimicked the notion of the blond beside him and began putting food on his plate. After getting out of the shower, he found Naruto already dried up with a relaxed expression sitting on the sofa. One thing led to another, and suddenly, he was pealing onions trying to make a dish that Naruto saw on TV.

They were lucky enough that Kakashi's fridge had close ingredients to said dish in it. But he was very much surprised at actually finding anything in Kakashi's fridge, since from what he'd remembered; Kakashi wasn't a fan of cooking, or anything that had to do with kitchen. Naruto remarked the influence of Iruka.

"Hey**.**"

"Yes?"

"I was always wondering how you got these." Sasuke pointed to his cheeks.

"Got what? My cheeks?" A blond eyebrow was raised.

Sasuke rolled his eyes at the idiocy and stretched his hand across the table to cup Naruto's right cheek, fluttering over the whiskers.

"These."

Naruto felt warmness that was missed when Sasuke pulled his hand away**,** tingle at his cheek. His eyes closed and he gave Sasuke a big loud sigh.

"That a really long story, Sasuke, and it involve a chapter in my life that it's too gloomy and dark for me to talk about right now."

"Oh. Sorry then, didn't mean to remind you of unpleasant things."

Naruto shook his head smiling. "It's alright; it's not all gloomy and dark, there are some happy moments in it. I'm sure I'll tell you about it all someday."

"You don't have to if you don't want."

"But I want to. Once we've grown closer than now, I would tell you. **I'**m sure, if it's you, I can tell."

Sasuke gave Naruto a small tiny smile, a smile so small that Naruto would have missed it if he didn't have the whole face of Sasuke memorized by heart right now. He returned the smile with a bright grin of his own and continued on eating.

They finished with lunch, dish washing and cleaning the kitchen close to three thirty PM. Naruto walked to the living room, slammed his buttocks on the leathery sofa and breathed in a comfortable sigh.

"I'm sleepy."

"It's not healthy to sleep right after meals."

"But I'm sleepy. Let's sleep, Sasuke."

"Go sleep on your own, I'm heading back."

Naruto jumped at the new news.

"Back? Why? It's still three!"

"I skipped school today because Kakashi insisted I come talk to you. But I have a class I need to catch, if I leave now, I'd be able to do so."

"Can't you just skip it?"

"Well," Sasuke came from collecting his things to sitting beside the now disturbed blond. "I can. But the next class is next week; we have an assignment to hand in today and I won't be able to do that from here."

"Which class is it?"

"Art."

"Can't you just draw here and get someone to take it back to school?"

"No, my equipments are all at school or home. I'll need to go to either to get it, and it's too much trouble to ask people for favs."

"Then….why don't you just do it and hand it in tomorrow? You're the top student, I'm sure your Art teacher will cut you some slack on one assignment."

Sasuke raised an amused brow, already liking where their little conversation was going.

"And why would I do something as to stain my perfect record with an absence?"

Naruto knotted his brows pleadingly. "Umm….because I don't want to be alone**?**"

Sasuke stood up from the couch and went back into collecting his stuff.

"Not a good enough reason, Dobe. If you're lonely, go call your best friend over or anyone for all I care."

"Sakura is no good, she**'s** busy with Ino and even if she wasn't, having her over right now would only be a bother."

"You didn't think so when you fell in love with her."

Naruto walked from the comfortable sofa to where Sasuke was getting his things packed into his bag, he crossed his arms over his chest.

"First thing, it wasn't love; it was a mere crush, that's ended. And second thing, I thought we proved that I had no remaining feelings for her after that kiss."

"No, we didn't. I said if you kissed me that would mean you don't have feelings for her, but I was the one doing the kissing, so there is still no proof."

"What does it matter who kissed who? It was a kiss and that's it."

"That's not it. If you didn't start the kiss, then you may still like her."

"But if I kissed you, that means I don't?"

"Correct."

Naruto sighed causing his shoulders to slouch. "Sasuke, I don't see your logic in this. A kiss is a kiss, regardless of who has started it. And there should be other ways to get you to believe that I do not like her besides kissing you. Can't you see the sincerity in my eyes?"

Sasuke zipped up his bag and headed towards the door.

"Goodbye, Naruto."

Naruto frowned at the teen walking away from him. Why couldn't Sasuke believe him? He wasn't lying! There were really no romantic feelings in his heart for Sakura, just friendship, sweet, kind friendship. Because since that night he saw Sasuke's perfect lines in playing basketball, he was hooked and Sakura had ceased to be his centre of attention. Just why couldn't Sasuke see the truth in his eyes? And why didhemake sure to disbelieve him every time Sakura would come in a conversation**?** Naruto sighed and closed the door**,** walking inside.

Maybe it was best to stay like this, with Sasuke believing what he wanted to believe. Still, as he walked inside the apartment and the afterglow of Sasuke filled his nostrils, Naruto felt himself in turmoil. Sasuke getting the wrong idea and not believing his words was really hurting him and he had no idea why. But as his mind twirled around useless answers that somehow didn't feel like the absolute truth, he felt his heart calling Sasuke back in.

Naruto put a hand to his forehead and messaged his pained temple. If the only thing Sasuke asked to believe him was a kiss, then a kiss was what he should get!

Opening the door and hurrying towards the elevator, Naruto was just in time before it closed on a calm looking Uchiha. Placing his tanned hand on the small crack, Naruto stopped the elevator from moving and grabbed Sasuke's hand jerking him out.

"I'm not staying."

Naruto had to roll his eyes at the words coming out of Sasuke's mouth as soon as he stepped out of the elevator.

"Kisses are precious to me, Sasuke. And maybe that's why you chose to pressure me with them. But, if I kiss you, what would you feel? You've kissed numerous girls before and **I'**m sure some were very good at it. Can…can I really compare to them?"

Black orbs lightened at his words, and a tone he'd never heard before came to answer his uncertain question.

"If your insecurity is the only thing blocking your way, then why not just try and make sure?"

Looking at those dark orbs as they pierced through his soul, Naruto felt his feet lift him up gradually and closing his eyes, he felt his lips make contact with Sasuke's. It wasn't rough, not a hard core kiss like the one he was given in the bathroom, but Naruto put all his uncertainty and fear in it, and hoped it matches to the raven's standards. When he felt those rosy lips touch his kiss back, Naruto sensed something in him soar.

He moaned as their soft kiss turned into something naughtier and for the love of him, he couldn't get away from those tight clutches Sasuke addressed as hands. Suddenly, Naruto felt his back hit the wall as Sasuke's right hand made its way under his shirt and his left held his chin, as not to stray away from their kiss. Naruto groaned and pulled his right hand to play with Sasuke silky locks pushing the gentle lips closer to his. In a second, they entered into another world.

"EWWWW! What are you two doing!?"

Naruto's head swirled so fast to the left that he heard something crack inside his neck. An old lady with her grocery bags hitting the ground and a repulsive look on her face was watching them. His body froze.

"Disgusting children! Don't you fear what God would do to you!? Where are your parents? Where do you live!?"

Sasuke pulled Naruto's chin up and gave a long hard kiss to the shocked blond. He let go at the gasp coming out of the old lady's mouth then entwined his hand with Naruto's.

"Beat it you old hag," He raised her **'**the finger**'**. "Or do you get off while watching these disgusting children kiss 'till they fuck!?"

The woman shook at the death glare that was coming from Sasuke and looked away; swiftly she collected her fallen bags and ran to her apartment, closing the door after shouting an insult to Sasuke about how God would punish them.

Sasuke felt the fingers around his grow cold and chilly; he pulled Naruto towards his cousin's apartment and made sure to close the door probably.

As soon as they were inside, Naruto slid to the ground trying to sustain his suddenly heavy weight. Sasuke kneeled to his side.

"Don't care about what she just said. Old minds like hers, don't know shit in life."

Naruto gave a small smile to the boy comforting him. "I'm fine, Sasuke, don't worry."

"You're shaking."

"Y-Yeah…..I think am a little surprised, that's all."

"Then come on," Sasuke yanked the blond back to his feet. "I've decided to stay with you, after all."

"Eh? What about your class?"

"I'm the top student; they have to cut me some slack."

Naruto smiled at the repeated words. "Sasuke**?**"

"Hum…?"

"Ummnn…w-wha….mnmm…"

Sasuke raised a brow at the stuttering indecisive blond beside him; he looked and was surprised to see theunblemished cheeks becoming a dark red. And he smirked, for whatever Naruto was going to say next, was bound to amuse the daylight out of him.

"Just say it."

"Did…didyoulikethatkisss!?"

"Regardless of the fact that you believe every person on Earth can speak Dobian, which is the language that you've mastered so well, we don't. So, talk human."

"I said," Naruto started playing with his fingers as if the subject they were currently speaking about had nothing to do with him. "Did you like that kiss?"

And Sasuke's smirk couldn't get any bigger.

"Hmmm….let's see, for technique, you get zero. For proper standing, zero. For seducing me with your lips, zero. For sweeping me off my feed, a big fat zero."

Naruto's face dropped and a troubled expression soon took place.

"That bad, ha?"

"By far the worst!"

Naruto released his hand from the pale one and puffing his cheeks marched inside the apartment; he slumped on the sofa with a cute pout on his lips.

"If it was that bad, you shouldn't have asked for it!"

"Well, I didn't know it was going to be so bad, that's why I asked for it."

Naruto's brows knotted with the pout giving Sasuke the right picture he was drawing inside his mind. But when those lovely orbs were glittering with sadness Naruto tried to hide, Sasuke decided to end the suffering for his little puppy.

"And," Sasuke sat beside Naruto on the sofa and he grabbed the crossed fingers into his own. "It was the sweetest kiss I've ever had."

Naruto tried to snatch his fingers from Sasuke's but in a failed attempt, he could only yank one hand and stood from the couch.

"You don't need to lie; you have spoken your true feelings!"

Sasuke grabbed those tan fingers in a death grip before they find their way out of his grasp like the former ones and planted a soft kiss on them.

"Have I ever told you a lie?"

"You're starting to."

"Naruto," Sasuke hauled the blond right into his arms, and holding him still, he whispered into the squashy ear. "I've never and will never lie to you. That kiss was sloppy, but it soared me to the heavens."

Being circled by warm heat with Sasuke's husky voice whispering in his ears, Naruto had nothing to do except trust the raven.

"You mean that?"

"Won't say it if I didn't."

"So….it was better than the ones your exs have given you?"

"Yes, but," Sasuke turned the tables so he could be the one topping Naruto and cradling him. "We'll have to work on that technique of yours, since it royally sucks!"

This time, Naruto had a minute to suck in air to his lungs before those red lips descended on his own, pulling his oxygen alongside his heart into them.

* * *

Kakashi raised a brow at the two teens sprayed on his sofa cuddling together, his eyes made a brief contact with Sasuke's and he was signalled to not make a sound. His second eyebrow met with the first at the order. Kakashi walked inside into his room trying to wipe the picture of Naruto's head on his cousin's lap out of his mind. After getting a very much wanted shower and changing into a comfortable pair of clothes, Kakashi returned back into his living room finding the scene earlier has changed.

He walked to the kitchen and pulled himself a beer.

"I want one, too."

"Try that when you've reached puberty."

"Stop bullshitting and give me one."

Kakashi flickered his younger cousin on the forehead and closed the fridge's door. "My apartment, my rules. Feel free to run back home if you don't like them."

Sasuke glared at the man but caught the soda that was thrown at him. "Hn."

Kakashi came to sit on the kitchen table seeing as the nasty-mouthed teen mimicked his motion. He opened his beer and sighed in content when the cold liquid slid down his dry throat.

"Why are you still here?"

"Hn."

"You should know by now that that answer isn't for me."

Sasuke turned his sight to the table with a glare on his face. "He asked me to stay."

"And since when do you take orders?"

"I said asked, if you've messed the memo, that wasn't an order."

"I told you to stay away from him. Naruto is a good kid, he took a lot to get to where he is now, and staying with you will only help those old wounds reopen again. You should be the one knowing best how hard it is to heal of past wounds."

Sasuke bit his lips. "You don't have to tell me all that, I already know it."

"Then why are you with him? Leave him and go."

"Don't you think I tried!? He just kept coming back after me. No matter how many times I push, how hurtful the words I throw at him are, he always comes back. I reached a point where I can't fight him anymore."

"You'll be leading him to his doom, then."

"I won't let that happen. He just needs not to know about me and we'll be fine."

Kakashi pushed half of the beer down his throat then said. "If you think it would be that easy, then you are a bigger fool than I thought you were. Did you forget who is after you? He'll surely find out about Naruto, and when that happens. Naruto will be crushed."

Sasuke pressed hard on the soda can in hand. "I'll protect Naruto. No matter what, I won't let him be harmed."

"And how do you plan on doing that when you're already going blind?"

"I'll find a way."

"Sasuke, this is irrational. You have never done irrational things, why now?"

The raven smirked and looked the older man in the eyes. "Maybe I'm reaching my rebellious age."

"Humm….that's nice. Finally doing something a human does."

"Bite me."

A rustle from the living room pulled their attention and groaning sounds were coming. Kakashi watched as Sasuke let go of the can he was squashing to death and went to see the blond who has just woken up. He continued sipping his beer**; **relinquishing how nice was it to be able to wake up to the face of that special someone and sleep with the same face. His heart tightened in protest.

"Damn, now I really want to see Iruka."

Sounds of a conversation starting signalled the full awakening of Naruto, Kakashi drank what was left of his beer then made his way to the living room.

"It's time you got up."

Naruto stretched his sleepy arms. "Yeah, I can't remember when I fell asleep, the last thing I recall was watching that game of Kumogakure's High School then everything went dark."

"That's when you slept. And now, I'm going back." Sasuke announced to the two.

"Huuuh? You can't be serious. Just stay the night!"

"I cannot."

"Why? It's not like you can't go to school from here tomorrow." Naruto put a hand on Sasuke's shoulder trying to convince him. "Besides, this is the third time you refuse to stay, Sasuke. Remember, last time at my place, you promised you'd stay over next time."

"I promised to stay the night at your house, not here."

"What's wrong with here?" Kakashi interrupted their conversation defending his magnificent apartment.

"Nothing, but I can't stay."

"Yes, you can. You'd be dreaming if you think I'll be letting you drive this late home."

"Nothing would happen, Naruto; I do it all the time."

The cobalt eyed blond released his hold on Sasuke to cross his arms over his chest objecting. "Saying you do it all the time isn't bringing any comfort to my soul either."

Kakashi grinned at the conversation and placed both his hands on Sasuke's shoulders, pressing hard.

"Just stay the night. I don't want to get reported to when you drive into a truck on your way back and die. There are enough rooms to go around and on the contrary to your belief that you'll wake up dead if you sleep in here, you will not."

"Yes, Sasuke! We can even sleep in the same room together!" Naruto chirped excitedly.

"That won't happen." Kakashi was soon to bust his bubbles. "My beds aren't made for two people to sleep on, well, except my own bed that is. But others would break easily at the weight of two healthy grown up teens!"

Naruto puffed his cheeks in protest. "But it's no fun if he is just going to sleep in another room, and I'm sure you will not let us stay up late because there is school tomorrow!"

"Correct again. Why Naruto, you're becoming less of a complete airhead by the day."

Naruto tried to deliver a kick, but it was perfectly dodged.

"I've not decided to stay yet."

"Come on, Sasuke~ it's been a while since the last time we slept in together."

Kakashi's eyes turned dangerous as he looked at Sasuke.

At the sudden tense atmosphere, Naruto started clarifying. "Oh, we didn't have sex or anything sexual. We just slept, on the same bed. Nothing's wrong with just sleeping."

Sasuke met the heated glare with one of his own and jolted his shoulder free from the silver haired clutches.

"Even if it wasn't just sleep, what is it to you?"

Kakashi raised a brow at the tone and pinched Sasuke on the nose. "You're a million years too early to be speaking to me that way, boy. And answering your question, Naruto is the son of my beloved Iruka. If you **even** think of doing anything to him, I'll kill you."

"Million years my ass! I'd speak to you as I like. And if I did anything to him it's his call not yours!"

"He is a kid, he doesn't have a call and so do you."

"I'm not a kid! And his sex-life is his freaking call!"

"From what I saw, you two are still kids. And I can't just let you stray before my eyes without me doing a thing about it."

"Ummm….guys?"

Sasuke felt his nerves flare at the words. "We aren't fucking kids! And Naruto is fully able to make up his own mind! So, if he wants to fuck me, we'd fuck! And there is nothing you or the rest of this miserable world can do about it!"

"Sasuke, calm down, I'm not after you. I'm just telling you that right now, neither of you has the right meaning to evolve this relationship of yours into any level. And with the way you're going, you'll only lead him into oblivion."

"Stop speaking as if you know everything about us!"

"I know everything about the world you so foolishly try to ignore. And being with Naruto will do him no good."

"That's for him to say, not you!"

"Sadly, he can't say it. And it's beyond me to help him, so I'm trying to reason with you. Stay away from each other. It's the best thing you can do."

Sasuke's glare hardened and he held tight to his bag's strap. "Again, it's not your fucking decision!"

"Yes, it is. You're living in a world where adults are in charge, not hormonal kids who think about their dicks instead of their brains."

Before Sasuke's mouth would come up with a nasty retreat, Naruto closed his hands on it and blocked Sasuke's vision with his face then spoke softly.

"Sasuke, calm down. There is no need to fight now; Kakashi only said those things because he is looking out for our best interest**s **from the heart. You can't lash out on him. Relax."

Looking at those beautiful azure orbs was always like a spell to him, and it didn't take long for Sasuke to fall on those warm hands this time. He took a deep breath and his angry face returned to normal.

"Thanks."

Naruto turned from the raven and glared at the elder man who was so calmly observing the situation with a cigarette in hand.

"And you! I'm not a kid anymore. I have my own mind and I'd do what I want to do. My sex life is none of your business! I never want you to speak of it again!"

Kakashi gave a sly smile. "Sure you don't."

Naruto watched the silver haired man walk towards the telephone and from the conversation he was hearing. It was something about ordering pizza. His tense face broke into a cheerful grin.

"Sasuke, you're staying, right?"

"Since you seem like you'd drop dead if I left, what choice do I have?"

This time, it was Sasuke's turn to brace himself at the bone-crushing hug that came flying at him.

* * *

Kakashi closed the door after bidding Naruto a goodnight and walked out to his own room, ready to start his late night phone call to his sweetheart. Their dinner went out in awkward silence at the beginning, but then Naruto used a few silly jokes and swiftly, the thick air was cut and the rest of the evening flowed smoothly 'till they finished their last pizza bite. Kakashi sighed and hoped that the two boys don't wound up doing something stupid - like fucking each other on his own apartment beds. Iruka wouldn't forgive him if Naruto's first time was with a boy and on top of that, a boy with a messed up life, family and destiny.

"May God help me."

On the other side of the apartment, Naruto placed his ear on the door. When he was sure the door to Kakashi's room was closed and locked with a click, he took his mattress and his pillow and tiptoed to the room Sasuke was supposed to be in. the light blue one.

"Sasuke..." And three hushed knocks followed the whisper. "Open up, it's me."

"Go back to your room, Naruto. Kakashi will murder both of us if he sees you here."

"He won't. And besides, the whole point of me wanting you to stay here is so we can talk into the depth of the night. You being in a room and me being in another doesn't really help that desire!"

"He'll kill you, you okay with that?"

"Sure, I am. Now open, the longer I'm here, the more chances there are of him catching me!"

Against his better judgment and the logical voice in his head, Sasuke clicked his door open. He raised a black eyebrow at the pillow and mattress that Naruto dragged across the floor and voiced his question.

"Just what are you thinking?"

"Kakashi said that his beds are too narrow and won't hold our two weights, right?"

"Yes?"

"So, we aren't sleeping on them. We're sleeping on the floor."

"Sleeping on the floor brings fatigue."

"Not always, you just need toknow the right angles to sleep on and avoid the wrong ones."

Sasuke sighed, closed the door and sat at his naked bed as Naruto started arranging the two mattresses alongside each other. After a few minutes, he was called to place his own pillows and sit on the side that was cleared just for his highness.

"Done! Come down, Sasuke."

"I'm not sure about this, Naruto. Maybe it's a bad idea, after all."

"Sasuke, you want to stay with me, right?"

"Right now, **'**m not so sure."

"Sasuke!"

At the cute glare, he broke. "Sure, I do."

"Then stop thinking about what's right or wrong or whatever Kakashi may have told you. And yes I heard a part of the lecture he gave you before he went back to his room. Don't listen to his words. If we want to stay together, nothing else should matter except our own opinions, right? I know you think the same way."

Sasuke smiled and flopped on his side of the floor-mattresses making Naruto's face break into a smile. Naruto sprung to his feet, switched off the lights and returned back to his mattress to snuggle under the warm blankets, the basketball they had played with sat behind them as Naruto briefly knocked it off the nightstand on his way to his own bed.

"Hey, I forgot to tell you," Sasuke started. "Today at school, I found your bubble-gum haired friend. She asked about you."

"Today? You went to school? But I thought you came straight here."

"Even if you were avoiding me, I had classes to attend and couldn't drop everything the moment Kakashi called to come and tie the score."

"Yeah, about that, aren't you angry? That I avoided you I mean."

"Furious. But, I had two choices before me once Kakashi told me of where you were. One, go there and hit you to death. Two, beat your ass in a serious one on one faceoff."

Naruto sweat dropped, if Sasuke had came on to him with the intent to kill; he didn't stand a chance in hell. Thus he'd meet his maker sooner than he'd thought.

"I'm glad you chose the latter."

"Me, too."

Naruto turned to his right side, his eyes had already grown accustomed to the dark and by the tiny light coming from the window, he could make the form of many things in the room, and especially, the handsome being laying only a few inches from him**.** Naruto smiled.

"I remember telling you on our second meeting not to stare."

Even though he was startled by the sentence, Naruto retorted. "How do you know I'm staring? I may just be looking at a spot close to your head. It's pitch black in here to tell youspecifically."

Two black orbs turned to his azure eyes. "You are staring."

They stayed a few seconds in that position, then Naruto's mouth formeda grin. "Now, you're staring."

"That's because you started it."

"Yes, but you can choose not to stare."

"Hn."

Sasuke turned on his left side and tenderly reached his right hand to brush momentarily over Naruto's cheek, warming them with their eyes clued to each other.

"It's ruining your cheeks."

"You mean the whiskers? Nah, I've already accustomed to them, they became a part of my face."

"It must've hurt."

Naruto's eyes softened at the tone and smiling, he allowed the hand on his cheek to bask him in warmth.

"I was a kid when it happened, so I don't remember much of the pain."

"Good."

The blond hooked his left hand on Sasuke's right one taking it away from his cheek to entwine with his own.

"Your fingers are cold." Naruto noted in a whisper.

"Yours, too."

"We'll warm them up together then."

Sasuke had to draw closer as not to cause his body any ache with the way Naruto was pulling at his hand. This was what he was afraid of, the closeness. Without meaning to, the boundaries separating them were getting fuzzy and right now, he didn't even know what they were. Friends, lovers, crisis-siblings, people who had known the same pain, what? He had no idea. But, no matter what name they would hold in the future, Sasuke hoped that that hand never let go of his, as he would never let go of it either.

"Sasuke?"

"Hmm…"

"What will you do when you stop going to school by the end of this year?"

"I've had plans for a while. I'd go back and take care of my company. We have a school of our own, so I'll enrol there and get my High School Certificate."

"After that?"

"Nothing, I'll keep working in the company, it's the family business."

"Your family, what does it do?"

Sasuke knotted his brows. "I rather not tell you. Too much information isn't good."

"If you don't want to tell me, it's fine. I won't ask. But, there is one thing I want you to answer for me. When we went to that grand hotel, you said that that was your room in that hotel. Do you have a room in every hotel your family owns?"

"Kinda. But that room was my favorite. You liked the Jacuzzi, right? I'd take you there another time, don't worry."

Naruto smiled and tightened his hold on the slowly warming up hand. "Someday, I'd take you to a place faraway from here, where no one would recognize us, just you and I. A trip of our own."

"You mean like the one we took to the sea? Where you were inches away from losing your life?"

And the resentment didn't go undetected to Naruto's ears; he laughed sheepishly not wanting to enter **a** dangerous topic with Sasuke right now when they were finally relaxing in each other's company.

"Yeah, I was a bit reckless, wasn't I?"

"Extremely!"

"But that girl was happy when you got her puppy out. Seeing her face light up with life…it was worth it."

Sasuke glared faintly in the dark. "It wasn't if you were to die!"

"But I didn't."

"You came close to it."

"Yet, did not**.**" Naruto's eyes darted to the outside of the window and the smile on his face fluttered for a minute with the moonlight. "You know, that night at the hotel…I lied to you."

"About the reason why you couldn't sleep, right?"

Startled blue orbs faced Sasuke. "Yeah, how did you know?"

"Simply because **I'**m not an idiot. So, what was your real reason for it?"

Naruto smiled and truthfully answered. "Every time I would close my eyes, images from underwater would flash vividly into my mind, I'd feel like chocking and sleep would just fly away."

"Why didn't you tell me then?"

"Because there was no need to. I knew it would go sooner or later. It just took longer than what I anticipated."

"Did you still feel like choking after we got back from the hotel?" When Naruto started shifting his eyes, Sasuke pressed hard on the hand he was holding. "Truth, Naruto."

"Well…it kinda stretched for a week after."

"You couldn't sleep for a week and hid that from me?"

The blond calmed the slowly raising anger inside Sasuke's onyx orbs with his free hand. "No Sasuke, I could sleep. But it wasn't a comfortable sleep. I would wake up startled sometimes and getting back to bed after was always a problem."

"Do you still get like that?"

"No…not really, it's been a while since it's last happened. And whenever I'm around you, I don't feel the stench of the sea anymore…hmmm, I wonder why."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "That's because I was the one who got your ass out, Dobe."

Naruto grinned cheekily at him. "Yep! That could be it. You know Sasuke, if I were a girl, I'd have fallen head over heels in love with you, because you saved my life."

"If you were a girl, I wouldn't have given you a minute of the day, so, we wouldn't have met or played Basketball together and you wouldn't be on the team. So thank God you're not one."

Naruto's grin turned into a sweet smile. He released his hold on Sasuke's hand to grab the orangish ball before them, twirling it with his tan fingers and throwing it in the air. Yet, in the darkness, he couldn't see right and the ball ended up falling from his hands towards the nightstand. Naruto freaked out at the sound it would have made if it made contact with the nightstand knocking the lamp on top of it, so hurriedly, before any misfortunes happen and Kakashi woke up, he stood, stumbling his way across the raven and grabbed the ball.

"Sheesh! That was close!"

"Closer than this?"

Naruto blinked at the words, and looked at the position he forced himself into. He blushed when he came face to face with Sasuke's crotch. He made his way to his own side as if burned by fire.

"Sorry."

"You have the ability to always place yourself into awkward situations involving my crotch."

Naruto felt his face flame. "I-In my defence, the first time it was your fault. You yanked me!"

"That's because you were trying to run before we finished talking. I couldn't just let you."

"You could have respected my choice to not speak about something that embarrassing when we were both naked!"

"What's that got to do with anything? Being naked doesn't affect the subject we discuss in any way possible. And if you wish to beginrespecting other's choices, you didn't respect mine when I obviously wanted to continue the talk."

"Sasuke, I was embarrassed out of my mind!"

Raising his head from the pillow, Sasuke arched a brow. "Embarrassed? What was there to feel embarrassed about?"

"We were talking about a kiss, alone, in a hot tub with both of us naked…" Naruto trailed off hoping the other caught his hidden meaning without needing to highlight it.

"I'm afraid I'm not following where you want to go with this."

Naruto placed his hands on his face and groaned. "Aggghhhhh! Just forget it! You obviously have no sense of shame at all!"

"I just don't see why you should be embarrassed by that situation. We're both males, nothing new was there for me to see or get flushed over."

The words stabbed something deep inside Naruto's heart and so foolishly, he ignored it. "Then how about the kiss? Didn't you feel any embarrassment about it either?"

"Naruto, I kissed lots of people before. Kisses don't make me flush at the least. Which reminds me," Sasuke's face decorated with a nice frown. "We'll seriously have to work on that lousy technique of yours."

The tan face broke into a pout. "You don't have to! I'm happy with my lousy technique thank you very much!"

"But I'm not. I want you to kiss me with a way that would make me turn to jelly."

"With your icy emotions, and your lack of embarrassment, I'm afraid that's impossible to achieve. Besides, there is no need for us to kiss. I have already done what you wanted and proved that I have nothing in my heart for Sakura."

Sasuke drew closer to the sulking teen and pulled softly on the hand linking them. "Naruto, do you hate me?"

Naruto felt himself drown inside those dark orbs and for the love of everything dear to his heart, he couldn't haul himself away before he drowns altogether.

"No, I don't."

"Then you like me."

"I do like you. But, I'm not sure if it's a like where I should allow you to kiss me."

"But we've already kissed, that stage is behind us now."

"Sasuke, we're trying to be friends, right? I fear if we go down this road, our eyes will grow blind to the line we shouldn't cross."

"And you're not hearing me right, Naruto? That line you are speaking of, it's already been blurred. Can you clearly say that the like you hold for me is just that of a friend?"

"No, but I can't also categorize it with the same like I had for Sakura."

"See? You're indecisive. Then what forbids you from kissing me and hope to stumble across the answer in the meantime? We can practice your technique, too."

Naruto ran a hand through his golden locks, taking Sasuke's eyes to wander to his hair for a minute.

"Kisses are for certain people. We can't use them as a mean to make sure, or as a practice. You should only kiss when your emotions are settled."

"Yet you kissed me this afternoon on uncertainty, you wanted to make sure and answer your doubts. Isn't that contradicting your words right now?"

"I…..when I did it this afternoon, I just didn't want you to leave, that was the only thing on my mind."

"Then you were driven by pure desire."

"I guess."

"Would you change your mind then if you knew I have a burning desire for you right now?" Blue orbs shone in the moonlight asSasuke shortened the distance between them, gently creeping close to Naruto. "Every time I see you, or every time we are close, I just want to pin you down and kiss you. Rip your clothes apart and mark your skin as mine. The fact that your eyes were looking at Sakura and not me, made me pissed as hell. Right now, it's taking all my might not to ravish you."

Sasuke's fingers traced the startled parting lips whispering his name. "Sasuke…."

"I don't care for kisses and don't think much of them. Sex is just a mean to warm my body and make me feel alive with the flow of heat. But, my desire to have you has exceeded that of mine for sex. And at the moment, even if I'm unable to have your body, I don't care, I just want to kiss you, kiss you 'till you go numb and your entire thoughts centre on me."

Naruto felt his heart thump at the stoic face; he couldn't read anything inside Sasuke's eyes except desire. Maybe going off on desire wasn't such a bad idea after all. Nothing bad would happen to his ideals if he were to get shaken once or twice.

"Desire ain't good, Sasuke."

Sasuke nipped gently on the fingers coming to cup his cheeks. "Then let yourself fall and blame me for later. It'd take full responsibility."

"I….can't do that." Naruto softly closed his eyes letting his last memory be of the sudden heat that flowed out of Sasuke's eyes to his own.

"Sure you can. Just pin that thought you never have to kiss unless you're in love to a hold 'till we figure out these messed up feelings inside us. Because, for all we know," Sasuke lowered his lips close to Naruto's. "We could be in love."

And he delivered a soft kiss to Naruto's parting lips enjoying the nice sounds his blond friend made under him. Sasuke's hunger didn't take long to take over him and before either of them knew it, the wheels of fate starting turning bringing them closer to their definite destiny.

* * *

Sasuke blinked his eyes then looked at the peacefully sleeping boy in his arms and a displeased scowl at the way Naruto's body seemed to spread all over the floor**,** pulled on his morning face. He ignored it and searched for his alarm clock to check the timing. Good, they still had a sufficient time to get to school in. He nudged Naruto on his cheek to have him move away from the arm that the blond seemed to have used as a pillow somewhere around the night, but unluckily, he wasn't released to go freshen up.

Naruto only groaned at his nudge and returned back to sleep. Thinking that getting Kakashi to see them in this situation wasn't really good; especially since he'd already caught them earlier with Naruto's head cuddling his legs**,** Sasuke sighed, and retreated to something he was saving for a bit later.

He put his lips on Naruto's and as he sucked the air from them, he closed Naruto's nose to forbid him from taking any air in. It didn't take long for an annoyed Naruto to cough awake to him.

"Good morning. I'm going to wash up. You go prepare our clothes. And you better take these things back to your room before Kakashi finds out."

Sasuke said then walked out of the room, leaving a blinking Naruto in his trace.

After half an hour, Sasuke sat in the dining table with Kakashi reading the paper and Naruto still in the shower and by the singing they were hearing, he was having the time of his life. A traditional simple breakfast that contained the easiest dishes in the universe, stared at Sasuke from it position at the table.

"This shouldn't even be called breakfast."

"No one asked you to eat it."

"Hn."

Kakashi folded the paper he was reading and placed it on the side as he started drinking his coffee.

"Naruto slept in your room yesterday."

It was more of a statement rather than a question, so Sasuke didn't bother to deny it. "You knew?"

"His happy voice reached my drums even when I didn't want it to."

"Why didn't you come drag him out then?"

"Because I trusted that you won't jump him and put me in a shitty position with Iruka. That guy will freak out as if Naruto was a girl if he'd lost his virginity."

Sasuke smirked. "We didn't leave any semen behind, so don't worry. Even if he looked he wouldn't find any proof."

Kakashi raised a sceptical brow. "Sasuke, my heart at this point can't take your heavy jokes."

The raven rolled his eyes. "What do you think happened? I won't touch him so easily, he still has his feelings to sort out and I have mine."

"Since when do you care about things as feelings? Sex was always a toy to you."

"And it still is, but with Naruto. Sex is valuable. Besides, at this point it'll break him."

"That kid is tougher than you believe, Sasuke. And between guys, he knows more about sex than you do. His father hasn't had a girlfriend since Naruto was seven, and all his lovers were males. Tell me, how many males have you eaten?"

Sasuke scowled and put the gooey eggs on his mouth. "None, but I know my way around an ass."

"You've done it? Anal-sex? There was a girl who was actually prepared to do that with you?"

"Girls do lots of stuff for me, old man. I know how to make them feel good, even from behind."

"Boys aren't girls, Sasuke. You'll need help if you want your first time together to be mind-blowing."

Sasuke took a munch of the white cheese-coated-bread; he wondered why wasn't he grossed out with the sex speech while eating. But not one to contemplate on passing-by observations, he shrugged the question relaying it on their family's perverseness.

"I know. It should be very painful for him, the first time I mean. But I don't want him to feel pain."

"He will. Unfortunately, there is no pleasure without pain. They walk hand in hand. Like fortune and misfortune. But the key is to learn how to make him forget his pain and focus on the pleasure."

"You know, for someone who doesn't want me to touch Naruto's virginity, you're giving a lot of advice on how to."

Kakashi returned the mug of coffee back to his lips. "Today I had the ill-fated sight of you two lovebirds sleeping together in each other's arms; and then it hit me, if you two want to do it, we wouldn't be able to stop you, no matter how hard we try. So, I'd give you some pointers, as not to make his first time a living hell."

Sasuke nodded. "There is just one wrong thing in your little theory."

"What, brat?"

"We aren't lovers."

"Sasuke, yesterday I walked in on him sleeping in your lap, then on you two cuddling in your sleep and finally, I saw you when you were kissing to wake him up. You don't have to lie to me; I'm the most understanding adult you would ever find."

"Kakashi, it's not that. I told you the truth. Me and him, we're suspended, we aren't friends or lovers."

"Why?"

Sasuke sighed and looked back fearing Naruto to suddenly show up and catch him while he was telling their secret conversations to the adult driving against their relationship. No one was behind him.

"Because our feelings are suspended. I want to get close to him, but I don't because of my family. He wants to get close to me but can't because I'm not _letting_ him because of my family."

"So, you two are suspended because of your family?"

"Right."

"Sasuke, love can't be suspended. If what you feel against the other is love, then even your family won't be able to suspend it. Okay, tell you what, why not test it?"

"Test it? How?"

"Tell him you love him, and see how that plays out."

"Naruto won't believe me."

"And why is that?"

Sasuke smirked. "Because I know him. Not to forget the fact that we talked about it last night – about taking things slowly and seeing where our true feelings really lay, in becoming friends or lovers."

Kakashi sighed and continued eating his meal. "From what I'm seeing, you two have already stepped that first border of friendship and won't be able to get back. You kissed."

"Friends kiss."

"Those aren't friends, those are sex-friends, and those are your type of friends. I'm speaking about normal friends. Like Neji, have you ever kissed him?"

"The relationship between me and Neji is based on exchange of interests, not sexual interests either. Besides, Neji has eyes and desires for one man only,"

"Don't tell me, the little red-haired boy who was always tagging behind him?"

Sasuke nodded. "Seems like he was shaping him up since they were kids to be his perfect boyfriend."

"Wow, didn't know Neji was that patient."

"With that sweet smile of his, he charms and fools everyone. But underneath there is a smart manipulative sadist with a lust that can never be fulfilled and a fetish for hardcore sex."

"Sasuke," Kakashi wrinkled his nose in disapproval. "Your friends are as messed up as you are."

"I'd rather the word 'unique' over 'messed up'."

"Yeah, maybe in another universe."

"Hn."

The shower door opened and a wet Naruto**,** with nothing but a towel loosely tied around his waist, waved to them then went back to his room to start getting dressed for school.

"If seeing him like that did nothing to you, then you should just go back into being friends."

Swiftly, Sasuke stood up putting his spoon down. "Sorry, Kakashi, we'll continue this conversation later. My puppy just called me to dry him."

"Hey! No nasty business in my house!"

"Don't worry; I'm just going to mark him."

Sasuke disappeared into the hallway and Kakashi sighed. Damn those two teens! They were ruining everything for him and now, he was starting to lie to Iruka. For as long as they'd known each other, he'd never lied to Iruka. Not once. And now, for the sake of his cousin and Naruto, he was keeping his mouth shut and watching as Iruka's beloved son was being devoured by the devil bits by bits laughing.

Damn them!

Kakashi closed his ears to the squealing laughter that rang from the room three doors to his right; he bit hard on his toast.

Damn them!

* * *

**Finally, the sixth chapter is here, after a period of a few months, it's here! Review and tell me how you think of it. The next one will be up next week, thanks for reading. **


	7. Chapter Seven

**Author's Notes: **

**Hey, peeps! I had planned for this chapter to be out this upcoming week, most likely Wednesday, but my Super-Beta finished editing faster than I had thought. I love her! Thanks a million, XxDreaming of RealityxX, your existence is making me into a better updater! Now, I leave you to this chapter, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did in writing it!**

* * *

"This is ridiculous! If you don't hold still**,** we won't be able to take it off!"

"Even if I hold still, we won't be able to take it off! It's glued!"

"And whose fault do you think that is!?"

Naruto puffed out his cheeks and yanked his right hand to cross his arms**;** causing Sasuke to get jolted to his left side. The sound of iron shackles resonated between them. Sasuke glared at the blond.

"I'm not sorry, you caused it!"

"Oh, really?" Sasuke hauled his left hand up suddenly making Naruto trip over the table beside them and come stumbling down, pulling Sasuke with him since they were connected by iron. The table respectively broke in two.

"Look what you've done**!**" Naruto shouted at the pieces of wood beneath them.

"You started it!"

Suddenly the door to the room they were currently in was opened**,** revealing a clearly dissatisfied Neji. The long haired teen stepped in, closed the door calmly behind him and eyed his club's broken table with distaste.

"You two really don't want to be free, do you?"

"It was Sasuke who did it, wrenching me so suddenly!"

"Hn!"

Neji sighed and kneeled to address his two players. "Listen you two, I don't care who started what, and you'll pay for this table. And soon. But before that, you'll need to know how to get along."

"We were getting along just fine before you handcuffed us!" Sasuke retorted.

"No, you weren't. Your style in playing is disintegrating. Sasuke, you need to learn how to play with other teammates, and that goes for you too, Naruto. You've been forgetting to pass the ball when needed and always go off taking risks on your own. Your individualism is bringing us down, and at this rate, we won't hold much in the semi-finals**,** let alone the finals!"

Naruto scowled at the words. "That's not a good enough reason to cuff us!"

"It's enough for me. And handcuffing you is the best way I could come up with in the amount of time I have on my hands. We have two weeks 'till the semi-finals, and if I don't see any improvement in your play by the end of this week, the cuffs stay."

Sasuke snorted. "You can't possibly mean that. We have classes to attend; I doubt the teachers would just let you do whatever you want."

"Do you really want to test that one out, Uchiha?"

"It's unattainable to bribe the whole school board, even to you that's impossible."

Neji smirked superiorly at the hard glare. "I don't know impossible."

"We'll find a way to break it!" Naruto stepped into the conversation with burning eyes trying to light the fire in Sasuke again.

"Heh," Their beautiful Senpai released a mocking laugh. "Maybe you should try that after getting your first attempt clean."

The glue that was poured on the cuffs glittered at Neji's words. Naruto sulked. The glue was an obvious mistake. He didn't mean to do it, he had intended to get the saw on the drawer when his hand hadknocked off the bottle of glue beside it and their cuffs sank in heavenly stickiness because he used his right cuffed hand to ruffle inside the drawer.

"We'll still find a way." Sasuke voiced Naruto's now suppressed thoughts.

Neji rolled his eyes at the saw, knife, axe, scissors and the empty bottle of glue sprayed across their team's room and suddenly his mind lost its train of thought as a burning question rang inside his drums. Why on heavenly S&M God's name were there such sharp objects inside a Basketball clubroom in the first place!?

"How about instead of trying to get the cuffs off, aim to get used to them? That would save a lot of time and effort for the both of us."

"How the _fuck_ do you want me to get used to being cuffed to a freaking person!?" Sasuke barked.

"Easy. Act. As. One!"

"We can't act as one, Senpai, since we aren't one."

"Yes, you can. You just have to compromise and take some of the other's power and give him some of your own. If you can understand how to do that, I think you two will be a very big help to our team, and instead of becoming tools of destruction, you'll be tools of victory."

"I don't understand. Sasuke and I get along well in daily life, normally; one would cuff those who don't, not those who do."

"You do get along well. But that's not enough. Your play is incoherent with the rest of the team. But, you two have a similarity to each other in points, that's why I want you to focus on those similarities and try to act as one. In the game."

"Handcuffing us won't really help that."

Neji beamed**,** "It would. I tried it beforehand. Now, that's all I have to say to you for the day. You're free to go home." And chirped on his way out.

Sasuke sweat dropped at the 'I tried it beforehand' and many unwanted ideas came bursting into his mind. He groaned.

"Oh yeah," Neji popped back to them from the doorway. "I forgot to tell you that this type of iron doesn't get cut off or melted. Not even with fire and a soldering iron. So don't try**,** 'cause you'll only harm yourselves. And another thing, don't damage it too much, it's the finest in my collection, and Gaara is kinda fond of it, even though he won't admit it."

The next second, Sasuke stood up abruptly and shouted. "Run!"

Naruto blinked. "Huh?"

"Run! To the bathroom!"

And before Naruto could know what was happening, Sasuke was besides the waters scrubbing heavily at both their hands and the cuffs with a frustrated and angry look on his face.

* * *

"Naruto, I'm going to sleep."

"Eh? But I want to take a bath!"

"I can't drag my feet anymore, I'm too tired, take yours after I wake up."

"Sasuke, we stink of sweat! We can't sleep with that smell all over our bodies."

"Shut it. Last night when you were sleeping**,** I was shooting hoops all night long! My muscles hurt and call for a nap."

Naruto frowned at the wards and tried to pull his shirt over his shoulders, but the cuffs stayed in hand. He tried to get it out, but the little chain connecting him to Sasuke was in the way again.

"Forget the bath, how am I supposedto change!?" A frustrated Naruto cried.

"Cut it. That's the only way there is."

"Hey, I can't just cut all of my clothes! And if I cut this one, how will I be able to wear another?"

"Cut three or four undershirts and wear them this whole week, 'till Neji gives us the key." Sasuke reasoned, making his way to the room that was prepared for him by Kakashi**.**

With the messed up condition he was in now, there was no way he was going home and introducing Naruto to his family. It was still too early for his blond friend to come into acquaintance with them.

"You may not have a problem with cutting your clothes, but I do. And let's say I don't, I'd have to cut the whole right side. My arm would be bear."

"Then don't you have a shirt that you can button, tie or zip from your shoulder? It would be best if it was an elbow's length, too."

"I don't think I have something like that in my closet."

"I do. But it's way at home and there is no way in _hell _I'll go get it."

Naruto was forced to sit beside Sasuke as he lay on his bed, obviously already snoozing off.

"Can't you call someone to bring your stuff over? A servant or something? You don't have any change in here either. And don't tell me you're going to sleep with the same outfit this whole week without bathing or changing or anything."

Sasuke released a yawn and displayed his back to the now disgusted Naruto; leaving his left hand up as not to cause any of them any inconvenience.

"…"

"Sasuke! Don't sleep!"

"I'm not sleeping, your noisy voice isn't allowing me to, and yes there is, but I don't want to contact her."

"It's either that or we go to your house!"

Sasuke groaned and sat up, sleep pushed to the back of his mind. He pointed to his black bag thrown on the floor. "Get my cell from there."

Naruto stretched his right hand and grabbed the bag, rooming through it; he pulled the iPhone out and snorted at it. Rich people really had the easy life.

Sasuke scrolled through his contacts list and a second later, he put the cell to his ear. Naruto stood **to **watch to the conversation.

"Karin, go inside my third closet-room. On the first section, beside the suites, there are a group of shirts and trousers. Pick a bunch that won't stand out too much and get me shirts that could easily be worn by shackled hands. Look at the far side, on the right side of the shoe boxes, there's a yellow box. Bring it alongside all those stuff to me, I'll send you the address in a text."

And Naruto looked as Sasuke closed the line with that and started typing on his cell. A second later, he was handed the cell and Sasuke returned to his bed.

"She will be here in fifteen minutes exactly. Open the door and take the clothes then send her back."

"Sasuke….I don't even know how she looks like and like it or not, you'd have to come with me since you're cuffed to me."

Sasuke sighed and ran a hand through his messy black hair. "Yeah…I forgot. Then let's take that bath you wanted to take, since I won't be getting any sleep these fifteen minutes."

"My thoughts exactly!"

Naruto's cheerfulness was ignored as Sasuke pulled a pair of scissors from the nightstand's drawer and threw the blond one. He started cutting the blue shirt he wore to get it off his skin and forced Naruto to cut his.

"We'll have to take the bath together in this case."

"Umm…not really, you can go in and I'll wait outside, I'll stretch my hand and you stretch yours."

"That's stupid not to mention it'd hurt. We'll take one together, won't be our first anyway so stop acting as if it is."

Naruto heaved a sigh and told his heart to stop beating. Sasuke's words were true. It wasn't their first, and it would be quicker for them to do so, but his heart wouldn't stop pulsing and the events that played a few days back **-** when he took that bath with Sasuke and was almost getting hard **-** didn't give him a moment to rest.

"O-Okay."

"Good, now strip. We've wasted five mins. Karin is really punctual, so we have ten minutes before she shows up at the doorstep."

Naruto started removing his pants. "Who is this Karin anyhow, your servant?"

"The butler responsible for me."

"You've butlers responsible for you?"

Sasuke smirked and pulled Naruto off his feet since he was taking a long time in disregarding his clothes then drove them to the bathroom. And closed the door. Naruto huffed with red cheeks but chose not to comment on the hold**,** since he was sure they'd look like a stupid fools to anyone watching them right now. Two guys, running naked with one holding the other bridal style heading to the bathroom. He felt himself cringe at the mental image.

"What's wrong? Open the water."

Sasuke put his hand over Naruto's and turned the water on, suddenly the shower above them started spurting drops of warm water. Naruto felt his hands heat with the steam and the way Sasuke's hand refused to let go of his even after they were inside the quickly-filling-with-water tub.

Sasuke bent and blocked the drain, then relaxed and signaled Naruto to do the same.

"Hey, do you think we can pull this act-as-one thing off? Even if we did everything we can, we can never become one, because we have two different bodies."

"I think what Neji meant is to perform the word metaphorically not literally."

Naruto rolled his eyes. "I know, I'm not an idiot. But still…we can't be one."

Sasuke removed his hair out of his face and switched closer to the other, putting his right un-cuffed hand under Naruto's chin, he pulled that face closer.

"Why say such hurtful words?"

Naruto felt a chill run down his spine at the husky voice three inches away from his face. He used his left hand to hold Sasuke's right one and averted his eyes.

"I…I'm not saying any hurtful words."

Sasuke's answer was a heated kiss that Naruto couldn't move away from. He felt his mind instantly go numb and his tips grow cold even though they were inside warm water. He didn't struggle and eased into the kiss. They have been practicing his techniques for a few days now and Sasuke came up with a rule for Naruto's lips to get used to kissing. To kiss him three times a day. Yet Naruto hated them, because Sasuke always chose to deliver his kisses when the blond least expected it.

Like for once, when he was cleaning the club with Gaara, Sasuke called him out, kissed him and went back. It was hard to explain to Gaara why he was flushed the way he was. And a second, he was on his way to the cafeteria to get a book Sakura had forgotten on the table and Sasuke happened to be there and kissed the life out of him with the cafeteria's staff watching in amusement. Another time was when he was taking a nap after going through the information that Tenten had gotten about their upcoming opponents**,** and hewas kissed awake by a suddenly visiting Sasuke.

Yes, Naruto had long learned how to stop from struggling and enjoy the sensation.

But sometimes, he was enjoying a bit too much. As blood rushed to his manhood instead of his face, Naruto started feeling his dick harden to life. With a gasp, he pushed against Sasuke, and wanted to run out the bathroom but a strong hand stopped him.

"We're chained."

Naruto felt a sudden urge to murder his beautiful Senpai for placing him in such a situation and quickly hid his erection when Sasuke was eyeing it with a smirk.

"Stop staring!"

"I wasn't staring; I was inspecting the effect of my kiss. Incredible."

Cold hands brought him back to the water, and he was forced to sit with his back against Sasuke. Naruto tried to resist free but the hands holding him were tougher than his attempts and with the way his body was failing him, he finally gave up.

"Don't you have _any _shame?" Naruto breathed as a last resort.

"Not when I'm with you." Sasuke stretched his hands between Naruto's thighs and slowly he made his way to the still growing erection. "Just relax and let me take care of it, I made it happen in the first place and I'll handle it."

Naruto glared at the proud tone. "Don't flatter**…**nmmnn!"

Sasuke smirked at the moan the other elicited; he let his right hand gently massage the member while putting pressure on places he knew would blow a man's mind. With his left hand playing fondly with the tips, he let Naruto ascend so pleasurably up.

"Close your eyes, focus only on feeling, and let me take control." He whispered softly inside Naruto's ear when he sensed the other start again with a futile attempt at resisting.

He didn't want to do it, for the love of him he didn't! But that godly voice and those demonically pleasurable fingers they were making his mind's control over his senses and will disappear and no matter what he wanted to do, he ended up performing the orders of the man holding his cock.

"Mnnn…Sas…mnn…Sasuke….not there…"

Sasuke pressed on the spot where Naruto seemed to have protested on and nipped the sweet earlobe that was dangling there like a lollipop calling him to have a taste.

"Leave the thinking up to me and enjoy, I'm providing a service for you only."

The soft words alongside the pale fingers travelling between his legs had Naruto's mind go blank. Sasuke pressed hard on the two balls and started deep thrusting the cock in his fingers, moans left Naruto's mouth**;** allowing Sasuke to hear the music he longed for.

Reaching heaven didn't take long after that.

"Sasuke! Am…c…nmm…ahh…comin…"

"Then come."

Sasuke gave a last thrust and pressed Naruto's tip. Sweet milk spurted out into the warm water flailingaround them. Sasuke wrapped his hands around the exhaustedly slipping blond and held him close.

"Good?"

"Uhmmm."

Sasuke forced Naruto's mouth up and gave him a deep kiss in which they had to stop because the doorbell was ringing. Naruto tried to stand up, but his body was still hazy about the thing that had just happened to him and Sasuke was forced to steady him.

"Glad to see my hand-job got you this disoriented."

Blushing**,** Naruto pushed against the other and stepped out holding a towel over his midsection. He walked towards the door with Sasuke tagging along, but when they reached their destination, Sasuke made sure to hide Naruto's form when he opened the door to their expected visitor. Angered by the obvious block, Naruto jumped his way to view.

A girl about twenty of something with red pointy hair and matching red orbs was holding three bags and a box to them. Naruto looked up and down at the black suit she wore and raised a brow. She looked more of a businesswoman than Sasuke's butler.

"Here, sir. These are the things you needed."

"You didn't miss a thing, right?"

Naruto had to raise a brow at the sharp tone Sasuke used but decided to stay out. The girl nodded and handed Sasuke the bags, he saw her facial expressions change when she saw the handcuff on his hand and so briefly, their eyes met and Naruto dunked. He frowned at his own reaction and mentally beat himself, why the heck was he hiding!?

Sasuke closed the door and had to raise a brow at the blond kneeling on the ground.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"Umm….." Naruto stood up and scratched his wet hair sheepishly. "N-Nothing."

"Hold these." Sasuke handed two bags to Naruto while the box and the other bags were held by him. Naruto sweat dropped at the heavy weight.

"Sasuke, these are really heavy!"

"Yes."

"And that girl was carrying them like they were feathers?"

"She's trained for this."

"Carrying heavy stuff?"

"No, Dobe. For fulfilling my orders, she has to maintain a highly capable body."

Naruto scowled. "Sasuke, that doesn't go on the sexual aspect, too, right?"

A smirk formed on Sasuke lips at that, he pushed the door of his room open and put the bag and box on the bed. "Why, jealous?"

"A-As if! I'm merely asking because it's really unfair to have her fulfill your whims and desires even if she doesn't want to just because it's her job."

Naruto placed the heavy bags on the bed while Sasuke started rustling through them, taking outfits after outfits to see what his butler has gotten him.

"Dobe, I said _fulfill_ my orders, not desires. And she isn't my type. Too much red it blinds the eyes." Sasuke got a shirt and threw it at Naruto. "Try this out."

Naruto slid it over his neck, but the buttons at the shoulders weren't getting done right, frustrated he walked to Sasuke pointing to them. "They refuse to button!"

Sasuke sighed and started buttoning the black shirt on Naruto's body, smirking at the final result.

"Sexy."

Naruto rolled his eyes at the raven before him. "No one gets sexy with just a shirt, Sasuke."

"Well you do. And where is my thank you kiss?"

"There is no such thing as a thank you kiss."

"We'll just have to make one then**.**"

Naruto was forced on the bed with Sasuke on top of him; taking the kiss he wanted by force. But before their kiss deepened and another incident like the one in the bathroom arose, Naruto slicked his way out of the Hawk's arms.

"Sasuke, you've to stop this!"

"Stop what?" Innocent onyx orbs blinked at him.

"You kissing me every time you feel like it! You have no regards for place, time or who's watching! People are starting to think we're homos and are dating! This isn't good!"

"Why do you care what people think anyway? You know what you are and I know what I am and we know what our relationship is. To hell with what they think!"

"No, not 'to hell with what they think!', we're not the only ones living on Earth, Sasuke, we live in a society. And words travel fast in this society. I'm afraid Iruka might find out."

Naruto pulled his boxers and pants over his naked body and wanted to march out but the cuffs stopped him from doing his little plan.

"So if he finds out? What's the big deal?"

"That's not good, he'd think that we are dating and would blame himself thinking that I turned out gay because of him and his behavior. He would rant about me not having the best in a normal life."

"No he wouldn't, he'd be happy for you since he's leading the same life."

"Sasuke…I don't want to enter into this discussion since we aren't even dating!"

"Say hypothetically that we are, would you shadow our relationship from your guardian because you think he'd disapprove?"

"Firstly, we aren't dating and I won't think hypothetically. And secondly, I don't think, I _know_. Iruka wouldn't approve of it and we would start a huge argument about it which I don't want to see happen so please try to control yourself when we're outside or in the presence of other people!"

"That won't work, Naruto. Just where do you think we are going with this relationship?"

"I don't know, to being proper friends maybe."

"Friends? Really? Did you only think of that?"

Naruto knotted his brows. "What else is there?"

"Lovers, Naruto! There is the possibility that we could become lovers, we could date!"

Taken back by the sudden words, Naruto felt his heart throb and the words inside his mouth dry out. Sasuke sighed and pulled a shirt over his naked torso.

"…I haven't really thought about that. Aren't you straight, Sasuke?"

"I have no regards for sex. And what do you mean you've not thought about it**?** We kiss, sleep holding each other, link hands, whisper sweet words to one another and I've just given you a freaking hand-job! Do you think that normal friends do that stuff?!"

Naruto's face became void of emotion; he sat calmly beside Sasuke and**,** with a still shaking voice, spoke.

"I haven't thought about it because I didn't think it was a possibility, Sasuke. We're both guys."

"I'm not blind to that reality. Not yet, anyway."

"Okay, putting that aside, do you have feelings for me? Feelings like _that_?"

"I don't know. My feelings are a mess when it comes to you, I told you that."

"Mine, too."

"That's why I object to you not telling Iruka. If one of these days our feelings turned out to be of love and not only friendship, I won't want you to hide it from a close person such as the one who raised you. In fact, I wouldn't want to hide it from anyone."

Naruto felt his lips stretch into a smile. "That's really nice, Sasuke. But I don't have your courage. If I told Iruka and he hated me for it, I don't know what I'd do. And I can't handle the looks of rejections from people either. It hurts too much."

"But I'll be there, with you. Wouldn't that matter? Or," Sasuke's hands brushed over his eyes momentarily. "You wouldn't want a blind man beside you**?**"

Naruto's eyes widened and he jumped knocking the raven on his back, with his hands holding both the pale ones over Sasuke's head.

"It's your turn now, so please don't say such hurtful words." Naruto watched Sasuke's lips part at the repeated words and he continued. "These eyes are beautiful, I love every part of them, but I won't leave you just because you lost them. That's too insulting, Uchiha!"

"Yes, yes, sorry. Won't say it again."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

Naruto briefly got dazed and his hold on Sasuke's arms loosened causing Sasuke to take the chance and wrap his now free arms around Naruto's waist, pulling him closer.

"Sasuke…" Naruto traced Sasuke's lips with his fingers.

"Hmmm?"

"I would very much like to kiss you right now."

Sasuke took his tongue out and licked the tan fingers playing with his lips. "And what's stopping you?"

Naruto blushed, feeling his heart throb; he descended softly and replaced his fingers with his lips. He tried to apply some of the techniques that Sasuke has used on him to make him feel good, but at the laughs that were slipping between the lips he was so carefully kissing. He pouted frustrate at the raven beneath him.

"You could act like you are in heaven you know!"

"Well, I was in heaven. The heaven that my sweet Naru-chan gave me by asking for a kiss on his own."

Naruto rolled his eyes and sat upright letting the hands on his waist drop to the mattress. "How can you say stuff like that without feeling any embarrassment?"

"What's embarrassment?"

Naruto delivered a soft punch to Sasuke's shoulder and stood**,** giving Sasuke his jeans and some boxers to cover himself with, because as much as he hated to admit it, Sasuke staying half naked with only a towel and a shirt was the perfect recipe for a sexual disaster.

He turned to give Sasuke the privacy that he didn't want and was jerked back to bed when Sasuke hauled his cuffed hand. Naruto was forced into a sitting position as the raven placed his head on his clothed thighs using them as a pillow.

"Help me sleep."

"How am I to do that?"

"Figure it out."

Sasuke made himself comfortable on the bed with Naruto's scent surrounding him. The blond's fingers quickly found their way into his hair and calmness was showering him like a nice melody.

"How about a story then?"

"Seriously, a story? How old do you think I am?" Sarcasm was the reply the blond got.

Naruto snorted and gave a nasty reply of his own. "Five. And a story it is!" Continuing quickly before Sasuke thinks of interrupting him, Naruto started telling. "This story is about a boy who was living happily with his loving parents. His mother was an energetic and cheerful woman, she had him in High School with her boyfriend and against all society she was able to raise him with her boyfriend. They married and the boyfriend was – after many misfortunes – able to provide himself a job, as the years kept on going on, the boy got older, and when he turned four years old, his mother died in a car accident. Of course, his father tried not to tell him this truth directly since he was still a mere child and always told him that his mother was in heaven."

"Didn't this idiotic kid know that heaven was where a person goes after death? Not to forget hell."

Naruto chuckled. "Sasuke, the boy was four years old. He didn't know what heaven was, thinking it was a place inside the clouds and his mommy would return one day…children believe things very easily."

"Still, a stupid kid. Continue."

"Well, his father missed his wife _so_ much that he busied himself with work and tried to forget that there was an innocent boy waiting for him in his house. Days passed, and the father's job launched, he handed in his first real project, to develop an electronic toy. Oh, did I mention that the father worked with toys? He liked making them for his kid, and found out one day that they can lead to a job. Anyway, one fateful night, the kid woke up late at night; he went to get some water but got scared when he heard a sound coming from the kitchen."

"Was it a thief?"

"No, not a thief, it was his father. Dead drunk. The kid didn't understand why his father was acting funny and swaying with tears on his face. But when he tried to come closer, the bottle of wine slipped from his father's hand and slashed at his hand. When the father saw blood running down his kid's hand. His eyes went crazy for a second and he grabbed the glass marking three lines on each of the kid's cheeks…."

Sasuke's eyes widened and his breath hitched for a minute. He slowly raised his eyes to meet with Naruto's and many emotions ran inside the blue depth he adored so much. Sasuke reached his right hand to caress Naruto's cheek and Naruto smiled fragilely.

"Naruto…"

"The kid was rushed to the hospital and his father was taken away from him. For a whole year, the kid was left alone with a friend of the family. He had endured a lot of hell in that man's house, and each time he was being belittled or treated like a servant, he'd close his eyes and hold tight to the plushie his late mother had brought him as a gift. Finally, his father came back to get him. Regret was visible on the father's face when he saw the marks his hands had left."

Sasuke raised his head and sat down with his attention glued to the teen harboring silent tears in his eyes.

"They went back to their house, with the father healing upright from his inner sadness of losing his wife. The happy days the kid was always hoping will return, returned back to him. And he thought that life couldn't get any better when his father started teaching him how to play Basketball. But, like how any good story comes to end, this one did. It was a stormy night. A lightning bolt struck on a nearby power-pole crashing it on one of the windows; the air blew moving the curtains that caught the fire of the candle the kid had set when the power had failed. By the time the neighbours paid attention to what was going on, the house was on fire."

"Then?" Sasuke urged when Naruto's mouth was struggling hard with words. "What happened?"

"The…the father was coming home late from work. When he saw his house on fire, he rushed inside searching for his son. He found him passed out on his room. Luckily, he was able to fight the smoke and fire, getting burnt here and there, but he rescued his son. When the son came on to his senses, his father had inhaled too much toxic smoke causing his lungs to fail miserably, not to mention the burns that flamed at his body."

Sasuke wiped the stray tear off of Naruto's cheek and wrapped the agonized teen in his arms.

"The last words the man gave to his son before dying were 'forgive me'. Why do you think that, Sasuke? Was he feeling sorry for what he'd done to his kid or was it because he was leaving the kid behind? Which was it?"

"Hush…you don't have to think about that now."

"It was my fault, if I hadn't put that candle by the window, none of it would have happened! It's me! I killed him!"

Sasuke held the blond tightly in his arms refusing to let him go. "No, it wasn't. You did nothing wrong. It was fate. You've nothing to do with it, never blame yourself for something you couldn't help. Your father wouldn't want you to."

"The whole time, I kept looking at the sky and wondering, why? Even thought it was raining, why was my house still on fire? Why didn't the rain pour over my house and put it out? Why did my father have to die?"

Sasuke kept quiet and just gave the blond the silent comfort he needed at a time like this. It came as a shock, he didn't know that Naruto had undergone such trauma, but now that he knew, he felt the unknown feeling inside him starts to shape up little by little and he pulled Naruto closer to him, hoping to share some of the burdens the other obviously carried inside his heart.

Sasuke eased them into the mattress and held on to Naruto feeling the other hug back and his clean shirt start to soak with Naruto's tears, but he didn't mind. If this would relieve Naruto, then he could afford a shirt or two. After a few minutes, Naruto moved back a little, allowing Sasuke a glimpse into his now puffy face.

"I ruined your shirt."

"Don't worry about it. How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine, I was fine, too. Just, a sudden walk down memory lane…it's not something I expected when I woke up this morning. The emotions kinda burst out."

Sasuke brushed a strand lock back to Naruto's hair. "If it's any comfort, I didn't expect it, too."

"Yeah, I didn't want to tell you at the beginning, but then, there was a point where I felt I'd be comfortable with telling you. And well, now you have all the answers you need about my messed up childhood!"

"It's not only your childhood that's messed up."

Naruto swiftly removed his eyes from Sasuke while his face heated, that look, it was the sexiest he'd seen 'till now coming from Sasuke, and right now, sexy was dangerous.

"Okay, why don't I go let you sleep? You didn't get any shut-eye and it's coming close to evening now."

"Naruto, for the thousandth time, you can't leave me. We're cuffed together. I'm dead tired now and you're exhausted from your crying fit. Just lay close to me and let's sleep. Or do you prefer I go get your mattress and have you sleep on the floor?" Sasuke quirked a brow.

Naruto shook his head with a grin. "Here's good! But, Kakashi said his beds can't hold two people."

"Dobe, that's just an excuse as for us not to sleep in together. We have been sitting here for a while, did you hear something breaking?"

"No."

"Then he lied. You should learn when people are bluffing**.**"

Naruto smiled and brought the blanket over them. "I don't need to, since you'll do it for me."

Sasuke pinched Naruto on the nose and lay close to him. "Smartass."

* * *

"So, let me get this straight. You're cuffed together to improve your Basketball playing?"

Naruto nodded while munching on the sandwich that was brought to them by a tired Kakashi.

"Yep."

"Phew, and here I thought Sasuke had dragged you into some kinky sex game or something."

Naruto's face exploded red while Sasuke smirked at the nice reaction.

"Glad to see you're willing, Naruto."

"Willing my ass, Sasuke. You ain't going two feet close to his ass!" Kakashi was the first to protest before Naruto could do it himself.

"Hn. You, old man, have no say whether I take his ass or not. And sorry to bust your bubble here, but we are more than two feet close."

Naruto looked between the clearly-enjoying-himself-raven to the silver haired man smoking his obvious stress away. These days, Kakashi was smoking more than he'd seen him do, and something inside Naruto's head clicked, he turned with questioning eyes to Sasuke.

"Sasuke, why haven't you been smoking these days?"

Sasuke raised a brow at the question. "Weren't you the one not wanting me to smoke? What happened? Changed your mind?"

"No, I'm still strongly opposing it. But, why did you stop? You said it calms you down."

"I found another thing that calms me down."

And Kakashi wasn't fast enough to stop Naruto from asking the obvious trap-question.

"What?"

"Your lips."

Kakashi brought a hand to his face and covered his eyes before he witnessed the kiss that would be very hard to lie to Iruka about if he'd ever questioned him about seeing Naruto kiss someone.

"Sasuke and Naruto, please, do this in your own rooms. I'm guilty as it is and I don't want to sink in this without telling Iruka anymore."

"No, Kakashi, you can never tell him!" Naruto jumped saying the next moment.

"I know**!** But it's getting harder and harder to do so! You'll need to suck upyour courage and tell him or stop doing stuff like this and go back to being normal friends. Not your messed up lover-normal friends business, but normal people friends!"

Sasuke 'hmphed' and averted his eyes**,** not liking the words. "We won't stop. We are comfortable where we are now; stop trying to make us stop!"

"Sasuke, your relationship is unstable. You are not friends, not lovers. In my eyes, you're lovers but trying to deny it. Whatever it is, it doesn't matter. You can do whatever you want, but don't have me lie to the love of my life. I can't do it."

Naruto's ears perked at the sentence and he held up his head, leaving the sandwich for later.

"Iruka…Iruka is the love of your life?"

Kakashi smiled. "Yes. Didn't you know?"

"Well no. I thought that you were just normal boyfriend and boyfriend. Didn't expect it to be something so…..so deep."

"Well, it is. That's why I'm begging you, tell him. He'd be happy for you, if Sasuke is the one you want to end up with regardless of whatever may be thrown at you in life, then just tell him. He'd understand, believe me, if there is a person who should understand, it would be him."

Uncertainty was floating in the air; Sasuke wrapped a protective arm around Naruto's shoulder pulling him closer while his eyes burned holes through Kakashi.

"Leave him already! He can't tell Iruka because we aren't lovers."

"Then what are you? You should have a name to call yourselves, Sasuke. What do you introduce each other as?"

Sasuke bit his lips not having a retreat to this.

"Can't we just be what we are now without forcing a label on it?" Naruto rushed to help.

"No you can't, Naruto. The world doesn't go like that. Right now, you still have time to figure things out in my apartment. Iruka's one-week-away has extended to another week. I hope after this week you'd know what you are. Because if you still hold this irrational relationship around Iruka. Believe me; he won't be a bit happy!"

Naruto watched Kakashi walk out into his room, he sighed and stood up taking his sandwich to the fridge since he wasn't in any mood to eat right now. Sasuke was forced to tag along.

"Hey, don't get upset. We'll figure things out."

Naruto allowed those arms to circle him from behind and relaxed back on Sasuke's chest.

"And if we didn't? You'd have to stop touching me around Iruka, and always watch what you say. And we can't touch carelessly around school, too, in fear that someone sees us and tells him. Sasuke, I don't want to live like that."

"Then you want to tell him?"

"Tell him what? That I'm uncertain about what I want to have, that I want to be with you but am not unable to identify what I'm feeling for you?"

"Exactly. He'd understand. If it's the guy Kakashi fell for, he'd understand."

"But what if he didn't? Iruka is all I have left. I can't lose him; I'd die if I lost him. He**'**s my father."

"Because he is your father, you won't lose him. Naruto, there is no need to be so afraid. I'll walk every step of the way with you. And you're not the only one unsure of his feelings."

Naruto turned and looked with apologetic eyes at the handsome stoic face before his. "Oh Sasuke, am sorry. I'm getting too caught up in my own troubles that I missed yours. You probably have more burdens to hold than I. And here I was blabbering about something stupid."

"It's not stupid and you don't need to mind about me. I'm good. Just being near you is good enough for me. And my family, I don't want you to know them and God forbids them knowing you."

"But I want to know your family one day, too."

"We'll try that after ten years."

Naruto raised a brow. "Why ten years?"

"You'd have your own work and I'd have probably skipped from the evil clutches of my family and lived on my own. They won't be able to harm you then, and maybe, just maybe I'll be able introduce you after."

Naruto scowled. "Does that mean it'd take ten years for you to open up your heart for me?"

Taken back by the sudden words, Sasuke stumbled back on his feet. "What makes you think my heart is closed?"

"I can sense it. You've something deep you don't want someone to know. And I'm not forcing you, just….ten years is a lot of waiting."

Sasuke smiled and planted a chaste kiss on Naruto's cheek. Surprised that it was the first tender-not-so-wild-kiss he's gotten from Sasuke, Naruto felt himself shying away.

"Don't worry; I won't let you wait ten years….maybe five." Sasuke teased.

Naruto puffed his cheeks and turned away from the warm arms. "Meanie."

"But you love me."

"I don't!"

"Try saying that facing me."

Naruto turned, faced him, eye to end and said. "Make me a cake!"

"What happened to you not loving me?" Sasuke raised a brow.

"Cake, Sasuke! Cake!" And Naruto ignored him. "I want a cake!"

"Even if I said yes, I doubt Kakashi has the things for preparing a cake right now,"

"I don't care! Just make me a cake!"

Sasuke rolled his eyes at the kid beside him. "Alright, we'll check. If he doesn't have them, we'll go shop. What time is it?"

"Nine thirty."

"Still early, we'll find a supermarket open. Okay, let's see…."

And Sasuke headed towards the kitchen roaming for stuff to make a cake.

* * *

"Okay Naruto, heat the oven now to one seventy five. Yes, keep it close and put this frosting in the freezer for me."

Naruto did as ordered and hung over Sasuke as the latter poured the mixture into the dignified baking pan. They waited for a few minutes, then Sasuke placed the pan inside the oven. Luckily, they were able to find the necessary things to make a delicious chocolate cake without going anywhere.

"We'll just have to wait for about twenty minutes to check it next."

Naruto stretched his hands as far as his chained one let him. "'Kay, what can we do in twenty minutes?"

Sasuke smirked. "I can think of a thing or two."

Naruto slapped the hand creeping up under his shirt away. "No, Sasuke! We've hand enough perverted deeds for one day!"

"Huh? You call a little of kissing and touching with one hand-job, a lot of perverted deeds? Naruto, you really are a virgin! We've not even done one perverted act!"

Naruto glared at the teen beside him. "What's wrong with being a virgin!? I'm only sixteen years old! I'm allowed to save my virginity."

"Firstly, you ain't a girl to save it. Secondly, age doesn't matter; I lost mine when I was thirteen."

Naruto's eyes widened and his stomach suffered with a feeling he didn't know. Yes, he knew that Sasuke had a lot of old sex-friends and had had sex before, but he was still hoping that Sasuke said he was still a virgin. How silly of him, right?

"Who was it? Who took your first time?"

Again, Sasuke was surprised with Naruto's fired questions. He smirked and wrapped the blond close to him. "Are you jealous?"

"So what if I am!? Got a problem with it!?"

Sasuke mouth turned into a wide smile. "Nope. Today really is my lucky day, first you ask for a kiss and now you're admitting to be jealous. God, I can't take it anymore! Come!"

Naruto was dragged to the light blue room and thrown on the bed. Sasuke climbed on top of him blocking his way. Sweat dropping, Naruto tried to move away.

"S-Sasuke, what are you thinking?"

"I'm going to eat you up!"

"Eat me up? What do you mean by that?"

Sasuke smirked and kissed Naruto's neck while his hands hovered over Naruto's pants' zipper. "What do you think I mean?"

When his pants were starting to come off, Naruto freaked. "Hey, why not wait for a while? You can't just decide you want sex when I'm not even prepared yet! And we've not even sorted out our feelings! Wait, Sasuke!"

"Why wait? Doing it now or doing it later, it doesn't matter. I want you right now, and that's something I can't control!"

Naruto felt his freak-out-ness turn into anger; he knotted his brows and against the little merciful voice inside his heart, he pushed Sasuke off with his feet.

Sasuke stumbled backwards hitting his head with the wall. Grabbing his aching head, he looked at Naruto with baffled eyes. "There was no need for force."

"I'm sorry, but you weren't listening to me. You have to know that just because you think sex is nothing but warming of another's body and perhaps even a way to let out frustration, I don't. I have never done it, and I want my first time to be something. And with someone I love. You can't decide on a whim to just 'eat me up' when I'm not even agreeing!"

Sasuke stretched his legs before him and ruffled through his hair, checking to see if there was any blood coming out or not.

"Still, you could have used a better way to deliver your message."

Naruto's eyes softened and guilt soon took over them, he jumped from the bed to Sasuke to check his head, but a pale hand had him stay at an arm's length.

"Sasu-"

"**'**m fine. You didn't hit that hard, just a small bump."

Naruto looked apologetically to his hands. "I'm sorry again."

Sasuke sighed at the sad blue orbs he cherished so much and said. "And I'm sorry, too. I know how you value sex and I wanted not to smear your ideals with my own. But…when I see you, my desire takes over my head and I long to touch you."

"But we touch, Sasuke."

"Well, _that_ kind of touch. I want to hold you, so bad. To ravish inside you. To make you cry out my name so loud the people on the tenth floor would hear us!"

Naruto felt his face flush and he made his way past the arm Sasuke used to stop his progress with to sit beside his raven. "I'm at a loss for words, Sasuke."

"To be expected I guess."

The blond gave a small smile at the words and voiced a thought that came pouncing at his head. "….Sasuke, you want to have sex with me that much?"

"Yes!"

"But I'm a guy. Can you get it up while looking at my body?"

"That won't be a problem, believe me."

Naruto's brows met with a facial expression telling how embarrassing he felt this topic was. "But before…when you gave me…you know, you didn't get hard. I was beside you, moaning because of you, and that didn't affect you one bit. Can you really get it up with me?"

"Oh silly, silly, silly, Naruto! Do you have any idea how hard I was trying to stop myself from reacting to you! If I let my desires flow that instant, you'd have been penetrated not a second longer!"

Shocked orbs looked with disbelief at him. "P-P-Penetrated?"

"Yes! I'd have torn up your insides with my cock. So stop saying idiotic stuff about me not being able to get hard for you, the problem is me trying not to get hard for you!"

"Ummm…..o–okay, now that that's settled. We should go see the cake; we don't want it to get burnt."

Before Naruto could run for his life, Sasuke stopped him with their joint hands. "There is just one little thing before we go," He pulled the box that he'd ordered Karin to bring over and handed it to the flushed blond. "Here, it's for you."

Naruto blinked at the paper covered box, he took it from Sasuke's hands, removed the covers and opened the box. A black T-shirt with orange straps and decorations here and there was looking back at him. Naruto pulled the new T-shirt out.

"For me? Why?"

"Replacing that lucky one I cut before, I did promise to get you another."

"You didn't have to. And this one looks expensive, Sasuke. That T-shirt was bought on sales. I hate to admit it, but it was junk. And this…this is a far from junk. I can't accept it."

"Naruto," Sasuke pulled the other's hands in his and looked up into his azure eyes. "I searched high and low for it, went with what I thought would look good on you, and put a lot of thought in it. Do you just want to throw away all the efforts I pulled into getting this for you just because it looks expensive?"

"But, taking something like this, with nothing back. I don't feel right."

"You don't have to feel that, I ruined something important to you, and am giving you something instead. Call is a trade, the old with the new."

Naruto scowled at the beautiful object in his arms. "It's still not good, Sasuke. Wait! I know! I'll make you something, too!"

Sasuke puckered his brows with a frowning face. "As far as I know, you can't cook."

"I said 'make you something', not 'cook you something'. Pay attention!"

"Then what will you make?"

Naruto winked and exited the room dragging Sasuke along. "You made this a surprise for me, right? Then that will be your surprise. You'll just have to wait and see."

"You know it doesn't have to be anything expensive. Anything you make, I'll love."

"Glad to know you're not picky."

"You want me to be picky? Cause I can be."

Naruto was hugged from the back; he ignored the touch and continued making his way to the kitchen, dragging an extra weight to the sweetly smelling cake.

"Sasuke, you're heavy."

The raven smirked and acted as if he didn't hear anything. "You have a mole on the nape of your neck. Hidden behind your soft hair. I like it."

Naruto jolted at the lick and blushing pushed Sasuke away making sure there was a safe distance between them, he said**,** "The cake will burn if you kept delaying me, Sasuke!"

"Let it burn, we'll make another."

Naruto picked up his feet. "We can't. We're out of eggs, flour and butter!"

"We'll get them, it's still early."

"Sasuke, the cake won't burn and we won't go anywhere."

Hurriedly, Naruto put the oven gloves over his hands and pulled the brown cake out. He brought a knife to check it since he saw Iruka do so many times, and it came out clear. Grinning, he showed the knife to Sasuke.

"Let it cool for fifteen minutes, and then we'll address the frosting."

"Okay."

They put the cake on a platter and waited. The door to Kakashi's room opened revealing a tired looking adult. Kakashi walked towards the kitchen following the nice aroma his nose was picking. Seeing the two kids that seemed to shelter at his house, placing what seemed to be a cream on a cake, made him lose the sleepy look for a second.

"Sasuke you made this."

It was more of a statement than a question, so neither one of the teens made a means to answer. Kakashi pulled a chair and sat down looking as Sasuke started cutting the cake, he sliced it into three plates since Naruto hurried to get one for Kakashi and then Sasuke closed the left into the fridge.

"It looks amazing, Sasuke!"

"Yes, I knew you could cook. But bake? We'll have to test how this one tastes."

Sasuke 'hn'ed to answer them and took his fork cutting through the slice and tasting it for the first time. He felt a sense of acceptance wash over him. It wasn't his finest, but edible.

"This one is amazing!"

The happy tears were a praise Sasuke took pride in.

"I must admit, it's not all that bad."

He sent a glare to his cousin. "Well, no one asked your opinion."

"But you've got it anyways. Consider it a praise and next time, try to wow me."

"I didn't make it for your ass, and you can take that wow and shove it up your a-"

"Sasuke! Enough! Kakashi is trying to give you a compliment; you should shut up and accept it!" Naruto interrupted the upcoming fight.

"Hmph!"

Kakashi took the whole slice into his mouth, chewed it and swallowed it with the juice Naruto so thoughtfully placed for them. "Naruto, don't worry about it. I've gotten used to his poisonous mouth."

The blond stood up when the adult was heading out the kitchen yawning. "Where are you going? There is another if you want."

"Nah, leave if for tomorrow. I'm too sleepy right now. I was working on patients reports and now I can't see anything but my bed. Make sure not to stay up too late, you two have school tomorrow."

Sasuke smirked at him. "What happened to Mister I-won't-sleep-'till-your-petty-asses-are-on-their-beds?"

"Met with a kid losing his life on his ward today. Good night."

Naruto sat down and continued eating his cake; he glanced over at the raven seeing the cake intact except of one bite.

"Sasuke, why aren't you eating?"

Beautiful onyx orbs faced him. "I hate sweets."

Naruto blinked at him. "Hate? Why do you hate them?"

"I just do. The overly sugary taste makes me cringe, I can't stomach sweets."

"Hmm…I never knew, Sasuke. This reminds me, there're a lot of essential stuff that I don't know about you. That's not right! We'd have to fix it!"

Sasuke smirked and wiped the chocolate above Naruto's lips then licked it off his fingers, decorating those yummy cheeks with red. "If it has nothing to do with my family, you can ask anything you want."

"Okay, let's see, so what I want to know about you? Umm….well, let's start simple then. What's your favorite color?"

"Dark blue."

"Favorite dish?"

"Omusubi with Okaka and tomatoes. Favorite vegetable is tomatoes; I hate anything sweet, like Natto. And of course, my favorite sport in Basketball. Did we cover your essentials yet?"

"Well, do you have hobbies?"

"Reading, if the atmosphere is decent and taking walks when it rains."

Naruto groaned and slumped beside his empty dish. "I hate rain, I hate reading, I love sweet things, I can't stand Omusubi, and I love Ramen. Sasuke, the only thing we have in common is Basketball!"

At the tears that were almost coming down Naruto's cheeks, Sasuke eased.

"We don't have to share a lot of things to be together. Basketball is just enough. And Naruto, didn't you know that opposites attract?"

Pouting lips were his answer. "But…I want to have stuff together. To have similar interests in things and therefore, we'd never run out of topics to say."

Sasuke had to raise a brow at this. "You're scared of running out of _topics_ to speak about?"

"Yes. I know it's stupid. But I remember once Iruka was having a boyfriend; they stopped seeing each other because they didn't have anything to speak about. They slowly drifted apart, and finally, they broke up."

"Well, for starters, that won't happen to us."

Naruto wrinkled his nose with a scowl present on his cute features. "What makes you think so?"

"Because with you, Naruto, I know I'll never get bored. And you'll never get bored with me, right?"

Pale fingers were starting to play with his chin, and Naruto felt his heart rate quicken. Without his consent, his lips tingled asking for contact. His fingertips stung to touch, but recalling how Sasuke reacted to him when he'd initiated a contact earlier, made him think that maybe it wasn't such a good idea after all.

"If you keep looking at me like that, I'll jump you." Sasuke whispered huskily.

Naruto could taste his heart on his tongue, his mind told him to refuse, to move or give any signal for Sasuke to hold down his horses. But, his heart was calling…and at that moment; the only thing he saw was a lovely smirk replay and his desires peak out of his eyes, with Sasuke's hot body hovering over his.

* * *

**So? What do you think? I tried my best to make Naruto's past roll into the story but not to darken or dim it too much. Review and tell me what you thought about it! The next chapter will be up as soon as my Beta finishes with it! :D Thanks for reading so far, and welcome to those who are new to this story, I hope you all stay tuned.**


	8. Chapter Eight

**Author's Notes:**

**Hello again, everyone. I'm glad to have new followers and reviewers. You'll are adorable! I love you, guys! Thanks for the amazing support, and I hope my story matches up to your expectations. A million thanks coated with honey and chocolate to my wonderful Beta, XxDreaming of RealityxX, she again aided into making this chapter mistakes-free as best as she could, I seriously wouldn't know where I'd be without her, maybe in a ditch somewhere cursing my luck lol. Anyhow, here's the chapter. Enjoy~**

* * *

"Sakuraaaaa~"

The pink haired girl blinked at the ball of yellow that came running andhugging her from her midsection**, **causing her to halt the next word she was about to speak. She sighed and peeled Naruto's face off of her stomach**,** as not to dirty her cute school uniform. For, after all, this shirt was too lovely to have Naruto's snot all over it. At the troubled, pouting face beneath objecting to her action and telling her what deep shit he'd put himself through again, she groaned and excused herself from her choir **g**roup; hurriedly dragging her friend to a quieter place where he could vent his agony without humiliating her.

The hill behind their school was the best place a person searching for privacy could hope for. Reaching the peak, she threw the peeled off blond to the ground and sat gently on the soft grass.

"Alright, Naruto, what's so important that's got you interrupt my serious conversation?"

Sakura was surprised when Naruto sat extra close to her after turning right and left, apparently checking on something. Her brows furrowed with worry.

"Sakura…I think I'm being stalked."

"Stalked?" She raised a fine brow, "What woman in her right mind would stalk you?"

"What's that supposed to me!? And I'm serious here, I'm being stalked!"

Sakura sighed and pulled her head back into the tree behind her, "Naruto, sure you didn't just misunderstand a situation or something? Maybe she was stalking Sasuke-kun not you, and since you two seem to be _inseparable_ these days, it's not a farfetched possibility."

The venom in her tone was clear to Naruto's ears; he shook his head and came a bit closer,and with **a **horrified look, he said: "No, I'm sure it's me who's being stalked, I'm sure of it! Please, believe me!"

At the desperately terrified eyes, Sakura's cool attitude began to waver, and she was starting to accept that maybe Naruto wasn't pulling one of his stupid pranks at her.

"Say I do believe you, what makes you think you are being stalked?"

Naruto looked towards his shoes, recalling the events that had happened to him a few days back.

"You know how I'm now staying with Kakashi, Iruka's boyfriend**?**"

"Yes?"

"One morning, about two days ago, when I was coming back from shopping with Sasuke, I sensed someone staring at me, at first; I thought it was just Sasuke. But then there was someone else - agirl. I thought she was stalking Sasuke so I told him about it, but when he turned, she was nowhere to be found. It happened another time, but this time, Neji had agreed to remove the cuffs, so Sasuke wasn't around. And that girl again showed up. She was holding a puppet and a knife, Sakura; she stabbed the puppet right before my eyes while smirking evilly."

Sakura had to ease the chills out of Naruto's system.

"Yeah? Did anything happen after?"

"Yes. I could see her every now and then, and she was always holding something to threaten me with. I think she wants me to leave Sasuke."

"Leave Sasuke-kun? What makes you believe that?"

"I found a note on my bed, written in blood 'Stay Away or Die'. The only thing that fits her warning is my relationship to Sasuke. And just the fact that she was able to make her way inside Kakashi's apartment without anyone spotting her is bad enough."

Sakura sighed and said logically. "Well, there are some crazy chicks with amazing brains**;** who have a grudge against you since you came to school cuffed to their prince. But still**…**for her to make it past the front door into your room, she must be one mad bitch. Even though cuffing was a bad move on your part, I think her ways are still too extreme."

"It's not like I wanted to be cuffed to him! It happened against my will and you know it! It's all Neji-Senpai's fault!"

"Yeah, that's true. Yet, you said after Neji-san had un-cuffed you and Sasuke-kun, she came to you? How many times has that happened?"

"Can't remember really, three or four times. Sakura," He called with tearing eyes, "I know I'm a man, and I shouldn't be spooked out by this, to have an iron heart or whatever. But I'm soooooo scaaaaaaaaared! I can't even sleep from fright!"

Sakura patted her friend softly on the back with an understanding smile. She had been around Naruto long enough to know how much he hated scary things. The thoughts of ghosts and demons could make him hide in his room for days to come. She remembered their first horror movie together. Let's just say the movie theatre had never had a scream as loud as Naruto's within its walls. She sighed to the distant memory and voiced her opinion.

"Okay, have you spoken to Sasuke-kun about this? Maybe he knows the girl, could be an ex-girlfriend or something."

"No! I didn't and you wouldn't! Sasuke should never know about this!"

Sakura blinked at him and her brows puckered again. "Naruto, could it be you have more information than you're telling me?"

The blond cringed at her stare and looked dejectedly at her. "Umm…it's more of a thought than actual information but I think it's a lead to who she is**.**"

"Then? Spit it out already!"

"You see, Sasuke's family has a crest. A fan. A red and white fan. I asked Sasuke about it once and he said that only members of his family are allowed to wear it, seems like servants and bodyguards are also included in it."

"And?"

"The girl who is stalking me, on her neck, the right side. I saw it tattooed."

"The crest?"

"Yes."

"You sure it was the same crest? Maybe a tattoo that looks like it**.**"

"No, it was definitely The Uchiha crest. They tattoo it on their bodies, a sign of loyalty or something."

"So, the crazy chick had it tattooed on her own neck!? Gosh! Only a freak or a masochist would stand for that type of pain!"

Naruto wanted to retort to that 'cause Sasuke had the crest on the back of his neck also, but decided against it, for she already has labelled the raven an Ass**,** and with this, he'd become a masochistic Ass. Not a very good title for Sasuke to uphold. Naruto clapped his hands in front of his friend's face frowning to change the direction of her thoughts.

"Sakura, concentrate here! Her having the crest means that she is a member of The Uchiha household. And that's why Sasuke shouldn't know. He can't know what's happening!"

Sakura folded her hands over her chest.

"I don't understand, Naruto. If you told him, he'd work things out with this angry member of his family, and everything would be easily solved. Besides, why would a member in his family want you to either let go of Sasuke-kun or die anyway? Did you perhaps do something to offend them or Sasuke-kun? I know you have no proper curtsey and no respect for traditional family etiquette, Naruto. So, just go with him and apologize for whatever wrong you must have done."

Naruto shook his head sighing. "I've never met any member of his family, nor did I go to his house; let alone offend them. Sasuke…..he said that his family is dangerous and it's best not to let them know that we know each other or things won't be good for me."

Sakura's eyes widened at the new information that were kept from her. She told her feelings to calm down and focus on the trouble facing Naruto.

"Then what Sasuke-kun feared to happen had. I'm now one hundred percent sure that you should tell him!"

"No! No! No! No! If I told him, he'd shut me out and keep his distance to keep me save! Not a good idea!"

"Maybe that's the sane thing to do, I don't want to see you coming up behind a back alley dead just because you couldn't stay away from his royal ass."

"Sakura, Sasuke needs me. I can't leave him, and I need him. I can't imagine my days without him now. The time I spend in class away from him is as boring as hell. I can't imagine if he was two meters away from me and I couldn't speak to him, or him avoiding me like the plague. No, I'll take my chances with this one."

"Please Naruto, think with your head not you heart, Sasuke-kun won't want you to get hurt, and this one is off for your head!"

"I really don't think things would go off that far. She's just pulling some threats. I admit, I'm scared shitless. But even scared, I won't let go of his hand."

"Do you have a death wish!? You have your whole future ahead of you and you'll meet lots of people better than him and cooler in basketball, also. Naruto, if being with Sasuke-kun is going to end your life, you must let him go!"

Naruto sighed and pulled Sakura's hands in his own**,** calming her.

"Sakura, you're my best friend, and I couldn't be happier to have such an amazing person as my best friend, but I can't let go of Sasuke, and no it's not because he is good at basketball…I can't bring myself to part with him. So please, help me think of a solution that doesn't require us telling Sasuke."

Sakura forced her heart to stop quickening and to think rationally. With a puff to her cheeks, she suggested.

"How about telling the police?"

"Then Sasuke would know."

"Okay, then, tell Kakashi-san, you said he is Sasuke-kun's cousin, right? Then he should know what the right thing to do here."

"I'm afraid if I told him, he'd tell Sasuke. And he's already holding lots of stuff from Iruka because I asked him to, now if I tell him I'm being stalked by an angry female Uchiha sociopath; he'd _so_ tattle me to Iruka**…**or worse**,** Sasuke."

Sakura rubbed at her forehead. "Then, what do you suggest we do, Naruto? We can't speak to Sasuke-kun, Kakashi-san or the police. Then what? What did you think you could do?"

Naruto looked with determined eyes at her. "Speak with the girl."

"Excuse me!? You must be kidding, Naruto! Why would you want to speak to someone who wants to kill you and have demonstrated that not one**,** or two times**,** but more!?"

"I thought if we speak to her, you and me, she won't do anything to me. You know, 'cause you are there. And we'd learn of why she wants me away from Sasuke. If it becomes something I can handle, then I'll try to persuade her**.**"

"And if it isn't? What, let her kill you and get it over with!?"

"No, I told you, she won't do it."

"Because, I'm there? Naruto, if she wants you dead, she could kill you any other day when you're alone. Forget it, I don't like this. We should just tell Sasuke-kun and end this, let him be the one to take care of his lunatic family!"

"Sakura, please, I beg you. Sasuke shouldn't know. I know it's selfish of me, but you're my best friend, please, I have no one else to ask beside you."

Sakura cursed her weak self at the big blue puppy eyes shown to her. She sighed with anger.

"Fine! But if I smell anything fishy, I'm so taking your ass and leaving! And if it gets dangerous, I'll tell the arrogant Ass!"

Naruto smiled sincerely and helped his friend off the grass. "Thank you, Sakura. Really…thank you."

And Sakura hated herself with each word he spoke.

* * *

Sasuke crossed his arms and a frown resident itself on his lovely face.

"I don't get it. I always drive you home. Why now?"

"She said we haven't been hanging out together lately. And Sasuke, she's right. These past weeks, I'm always with you. I need to give her some time, too."

Sakura felt the glare pore at the back of her head, she answered with one of her own. Sasuke wasn't the only one able to launch death threats with his eyes!

Sasuke returned his eyes to the blond in front of him. "Does it have to be today?"

"Yeah, she doesn't have any club activities and nor do I. Don't worry, I'll get home safely. Just go back today without me." Naruto assured cheerfully with a pat to Sasuke's shoulder.

"I still don't like this. Something smells rotten."

Naruto sweat dropped at the words and tried to disperse them quickly before Sasuke decides to dig this one out. "Rotten? What could possibly be rotten with me wanting to hang out with my best friend for one afternoon!?"

"Then take me along."

"Um…that's not possible."

"Why not? Something really is going on then!"

Naruto sighed. "Nothing is going on Sasuke, stop being paranoid, it ruins your image. And we can't take you because Sakura is still having a hard time being with you after the harsh things you said to her the first time you two met."

Sasuke sent the girl another look and she answered with the same animosity. He 'hmph'ed and returned to the conversation with the blond.

"She doesn't look it."

"She's a wreck, but very good at hiding it."

"More like she wants to punch me unconscious."

"See! It's not a good idea to take you along. And besides, this is her and mine alone time. You can't interfere."

A vein inside Sasuke's forehead popped at the words, forcefully, he pulled Naruto to a shade under a tree where no one would be able to spot them and trapped the startled blond between his strong arms.

"Want to try saying that again?"

"Ummm….Sasuke, I didn't mean it like that. Sakura is just a friend. Can you please stop getting jealous over this? We hang out together all the time, and this is the first time she asks me for anything. And I kinda feel bad about it. She's my friend." Naruto avoided using 'best friend' as not to ignite Sasuke further.

"Gaara is your friend, I don't see him asking you for some alone time."

Naruto rolled his eyes. "Gaara is too busy keeping Neji-Senpai away from him to pay any attention to me. Besides, Sakura is different; we have been friends for as long as I can remember. She knows everything about me and I kinda miss spending time with her."

Sasuke sealed those lips that were pouring all sorts of things he didn't want to hear with a kiss. Yes, he knew he was acting overly jealous and it wasn't good. But seeing Naruto happily laughing with the chick he used to hold feelings for wasn't really assuring, and yes they weren't lovers and he had no right to claim over Naruto, but God, he wanted to!

Naruto pushed against Sasuke and breathed a fresh air.

"I don't want to hear it! You don't need anyone beside me; I'll be your best friend, your brother, your father, and mother, anyone you'll ever want me to be! So, stop talking about some girl as if she's important to you!"

Naruto felt his eyes soften and gently, he started stoking Sasuke's cheek.

"Worrying really isn't good for you, Sasuke. It ruins your cool image."

"I don't care!"

"And I'm flattered to have you worry about me, but Sasuke, you honestly don't need to, my eyes are full of you. Sakura is just a friend. Believe me, trust in me. I'll never do anything to hurt you, not in a million years. You're far too important than her. So, even if I have thousands of special relationships with thousands of people, you should always know that there will never be something as special as the one I have with you. And I won't find someone as special as you no matter where I look."

Sasuke pulled Naruto's hand that was stroking his cheek and entwined it with his own, talking the blond closer to him.

"I don't feel right about letting you go now. My heart is telling me that something will happen to you."

Naruto pushed himself off the floor and kissed Sasuke gently on the lips. "Nothing would happen to me, I'm only going to watch a movie and hangout a bit with Sakura then head home."

"I'm still unhappy about it. Do you really have to go today?"

"Yeah**…**the next opening is next week and that's when we'll start our semi-finals. I won't have any time for her**.**"

"Then, please, be careful."

Naruto gave a swift nod causing Sasuke to lean into another kiss, the blond kissed back with a faint smile on his lips. He was happy, Sasuke was happy. Why couldn't Sasuke's family just see that? Why were they trying to steal this happiness away from them? Was it because they didn't approve of him? Well, that was going to change now, since he was going to convince that girl to accept them. Which in his sight, was step one.

Nothing in this world mattered if Sasuke wasn't with him.

"Mnnmm….Sasuke, let…mnmm…go, need to go now!"

Sasuke sucked hard on Naruto's lower lip, gave it another chaste kiss and let go of the hand. As Naruto started waving bye to him, he didn't know why his heart suddenly sank**;** feeling like this would be the last time he saw the one who was making him display so many types of emotions.

Without intending to, he found himself shouting. "Naruto!"

The blond halted in his run and blinked in question. "What!?"

"Tonight, when you get back home, call me! There's something I need to tell you."

Eyes filled with confusion, Naruto said. "Can't it wait **'**till tomorrow?"

"No. I'll have to tell you tonight!"

Sasuke felt his heart fly at the genuine smile he was given. He tried to mimic it, but his mouth could only stretch so far.

"I'll call the moment I get home, then. Wait for me!"

And that was the last Sasuke saw of his blond angel for three whole days after.

* * *

Sakura blew her running nose on the tissue in hand; she tried to tell her tears to stop. But every time she remembered what had happened, her eyes would water without her consent. It had already been three days. Oh Lord, this was the worst three days in her entire life. She had waited for Naruto to come to school, calling on the second day when her heart was telling her something had gone wrong with her friend, but there was no one answering and no traces of him either.

And that was when she had officially freaked out. But…but….she couldn't tell them. Even though she wanted to go off to Kakashi-san's apartment and inquire about Naruto herself, she had no idea where the apartment was and she couldn't call Iruka-san and have him worry. Naruto asked her not to tell them.

Sakura wiped the tears again, and hid inside the blanket trying to forget what had happened. Suddenly, the door to her room was being knocked; she didn't even bother with asking who it was.

"Sakura, sweetie, your friend from school has come to check up on you, he brought your missed home works, too."

"Take the home works and tell them thanks. But I'm not in the condition to meet anyone right now, mum."

"Sakura, it's me, open up."

At the nasty voice that has hunted her every nightmare, Sakura felt her body shiver. What did he want? Why did he come to visit her? Why, when she was in her worst conditions and there was no intention in her to fix herself up and wear some makeup, why did he have to show up?

Then an image of a smiling Naruto popped and her eyes grew teary again.

"Sakura, please, open up. There's something really important I need to ask you."

And she knew what he was going to ask about. Against her better judgment, Sakura walked towards the door and unlocked it, without any words further; Sasuke walked in, closed the door behind him and sat opposite her on the chair beside the bed.

"Naruto's gone. I can't find him anywhere. I and Kakashi have searched everywhere we know about, every favourite place for Naruto, we asked the hospitals and even," Sasuke swallowed hard, "the morgues. But there is no trace of Naruto. I want to know, what happened that day exactly."

Sakura's eyes started running and tears soon came out again.

"It wasn't supposed to end like this. He just went to get me the paper I left at the bench…it wasn't supposed to end up like this!"

Sasuke had to patiently wait until Sakura stopped crying and was able to get a clear answer out of her.

"Please, tell me the story from the beginning, don't fail to miss any detail, no matter how small."

Sakura nodded wiping her nose. "After we left you, we went to watch a movie. When it finished we headed towards a park where Naruto and I used to play as kids, we chatted and everything was going so fine…" She took a minute to control her dying voice. "Then as it was getting late, we decided to go back, but I had forgotten a sheet of paper on the bench, my next choir song. Naruto ran back to get it for me, I got worried when he didn't come for five whole minutes, so I returned to where the bench was supposed to be in, I only found my paper. There was no trace of Naruto."

"Didn't you search for him?"

Sakura glanced at her hands. "Not really, I asked one of the kids and he said that Naruto left with another blond man. So, I thought he ditched me and angrily I went back home. But when he didn't show up…I knew something was wrong."

"Did you ask the kid how this man looked?"

Sakura shook her head. "I didn't pay it attention at the time, I just thought that Naruto had walked out on me and didn't give the possibility that he was taken a thought."

For the first time in her life, Sakura saw the face of the Ice Prince crack with worry. She held her breath before gasping.

"Okay, did something weird happen to Naruto these days? I knew he was worried about something, but he refused to let me know and I didn't push him. He must've told you; do you know what was making him fidgety?"

Sakura avoided the dark gaze. "That's**…"**

Sasuke's eyes widened, he tried to stop the raging emotions that came flaring when he realized that there was a secret about Naruto that this girl knew that he didn't and had to extract that secret from.

"Sakura," The first step was to address her name, not the nickname that he so felt like using right now. "Naruto might be sitting in some pit waiting for us to rescue him. For us to do that, I'll need you to tell me what was worrying him."

"I…Naruto said specifically not to tell you, I can't betray his trust!"

And again, Sasuke felt like strangling the girl. Yet, he controlled his nerves and did number two, physical contact to let her know he wasn't an enemy. Well, to Naruto he wasn't.

Sakura was jolted at the soft touch to her hand, she felt her face flush and that feeling she'd felt when she hadn't met the Prince's true nature come to her heart again.

"You'd have to disregard everything that Naruto has told you, because this situation is dangerous. Naruto has been missing for three straight days, Iruka is coming back the day after tomorrow and we still haven't told him that his son is missing. Now, I want to wrap this thing up before he arrives here. I want him to come to find his son. So," Sasuke held the fork in his throat out and released between clinched teeth reminding himself that this was all for the sake of the blond. "Please…help me find him before it's too late."

And Sakura cracked like popcorn.

"He was being stalked, by a girl. She was frightening him, with death threats. Naruto said that she was a member of your family, that's why he didn't want you to know, he said if you did, you two won't be able to stay together ever again!"

Sasuke felt his heart drop. A member of his family, they had found out about Naruto. He bit his lip drawing blood.

"How did Naruto know it was a member of my family?" He calmly asked.

"Ummm…I think it was something about your family's crest. He said that he'd seen it on the girl's neck. Tattooed on the right side**,** I believe."

"Tattooed? Oh! The son of a bitch! I'll kill him!"

Before Sasuke went out in his sudden fit of rage, his hand was grabbed by a pleading Sakura.

"You**!** You know where he is!?"

Frowning at the contact, he said. "I may have a clue."

"Then please! Bring Naruto home safe I beg you! Bring him back!"

His only answer was a nod and then he exited her room; wiping his hands once he was out of Sakura's house with a sense of anger at how she'd dared to beg him to bring Naruto back to her. As if he'd do that! If Naruto was to come back, the only arms he'd come to were his own, he'd make sure of that!

* * *

Deidara raised both his hands defensively and let the angry tiger latch onto him, with a smile on his lovely face.

"You fuck! What have you done to Naruto!?"

"Who?"

Using half of his strength, Sasuke pinned the other to the wall behind them. "Stop playing games with me, bitch! I know you've been stalking him! Spill it before I crack your fucking neck! Where is Naruto!?"

Deidara's smile stretched into an amused one. "Sasuke-Sama, let's think of that threat of yours for a sec, shall we? Do you know what will become of you if you kill Danzo-Sama's right hand man? And let's hypothetically say I know this Naruto person you speak of, if said person disappeared, whose fault do you think that is? Who brought him into the family?"

Sasuke bit the inside of his gum, already knowing that it was his fault. But God help him if anything bad were to happen to Naruto, someone _would_ be killed!

"Stop the idle chitchatting and spit outhis whereabouts! I know you've taken him, and God Help me, Deidara, if you even touched _one_ strand of the hair on his head, I'll slaughter you!"

"Yara, yara, I'll just have to watch my back then."

Sasuke felt his blood boil; he swung his hand and delivered a punch right into the other's jaw, sending his flying into the other side of the restaurant they owned.

"You better!"

The long haired blond put one hand over his throbbing cheek and watched as the raven stomped his way out of the fancy main restaurant; bringing the customers attention to his fuming self. Deidara pulled himself off the ground and spat the blood out of his mouth alongside a broken tooth.

"That was a very wrong move to pull, Uchiha-Sama."

One of the workers helped Deidara to his feet since he started stumbling hazily to the punch that did more bad than he liked to admit and whispered to him. "Sir, you have a call**.**"

"I'll take it in the backroom."

The worker nodded, bowed and excused himself. Deidara inspected the damage made to his beautiful face and glared hard. He could have easily dodged that lousy punch, but then, this game of theirs wouldn't grow to be any fun if he were to do that. He ordered himself a pack of ice while making his way to the backroom**;** already knowing who was on the other end of the line.

He put the white phone to his ear and chirped. "Hullo~"

"Why the _**fuck**_ are you in such a good mood?"

"Eh? You could tell?"

"Of course I could tell. What happened?"

"Let's say the hawk fell right into the rabbit's trap**,** for a change."

**"…**is this about the kid you've been stalking?"

Deidara pouted on the phone. "How horrible! I don't stalk! I was just accompanying him whenever he went. Just without him knowing."

"Was it an order from above, as well?" The guy on the other end asked.

"Yep! Seems like Sasuke-Kun, our little prince, is highly upset about it, too. I've gotten a death threat. Do you think it's weird that I'm actually very happy to be getting one?"

The end on the other line went silent for a while, and when Deidara thought the line had been broken without him knowing, the sound came back again.

"No. you were always sick. Anyhow, our orders came. We've got some real problems at the moment."

"Problems? What kind of problems?"

"He's come back."

"He? Who do you mean?"

"Uchiha's Black Snake."

And Deidara dropped the line from his hands as a cold chill run down his spine**;** sucking all his happiness away.

* * *

Sasuke told himself not to get too pissed and to drive safely, it wouldn't help any of them if he'd gone and killed himself in a freaking car accident when Naruto was still missing. He threw a hit on the steering wheel, and took a turn as he cursed himself. Why didn't he stay away from Naruto when he clearly knew what would happen when his family's head, Danzo, learnt about him having a favourite? He cherished Naruto so much, and now, only God knew where his other half was.

"Just hang in there, Naruto. I'll find you!"

Sasuke pulled into the parking lot of the apartment complex of Kakashi's apartment, and quickly made his way inside the elevator. Once he was before the front door, he rang the bell constantly, allowing Kakashi not a minute to ignore him.

"Coming! You don't have to burn my bell, you know!" Two black orbs glared at Sasuke.

"We don't have time for this," Sasuke pushed the door open with his hands and made himself inside. "They've got him, they've got Naruto."

Kakashi's eyes widened and a hand soon came to ruffle his messy hair, with a sigh he said. "I can't say I didn't see this one coming. So, do you know where they're keeping him?"

"Not yet," Sasuke sat on the brown sofa before the TV set. "Seems like Deidara's the one who's taken him."

"Dolls-freak-blond Deidara?"

"Yes. Looks like he was following Naruto for a while and about three days ago, he made contact with him at a park somewhere, according to a child that Sakura had asked, Naruto walked away with Deidara."

"Wait, if he was following Naruto, didn't Naruto see him? I mean you outta know when you're being stalked, and if Naruto had noticed, why wouldn't he have run away when Deidara made contact with him?"

Sasuke rubbed at his tired eyes. "From what bubblegum haired girl's told me, Deidara stalked Naruto dressed as a chick. But, when he approached him, he came as a male."

"C'mon! Naruto can't be tricked with something that stupid! He must've known it was the same person, or at least suspected it."

"Maybe Deidara caught him from behind, thus rendering him unconscious."

Kakashi pulled a cigarette from his pack and lit it. "No, that's not possible, for first, Naruto has a black belt in Karate, I doubt someone would be able to surprise him from the back. And second, you said the kid saw them walking out together. Not one dragging the other. So, that confirms it, Naruto wanted to be caught."

Sasuke frowned at the words. "But why? Why would he want to be locked up in adungeon somewhere?"

"I think you already know the answer to that."

Sasuke felt his brain freeze at the thought that came puzzling for him to accept. He groaned.

"He wouldn't do that. He'd be an idiot if he did!"

"He is an idiot. And because you're refusing to inform him about your family, he's taken it upon himself in knowing."

"I would've eventually told him. Just when I'm more in control over things."

"You mean after you kill Danzo."

Sasuke nodded with reluctant. "One way or another**.**"

"Sasuke, killing him isn't the answer to anything. You should know that."

"But it'll heal some of my wounds. We both know he's the sole perpetrator responsible for destroying my family and killing my mother. I'll have to be strong on my own to be able to take revenge with my own hands."

Kakashi sighed and decided to steer the subject elsewhere before Sasuke's heated heart confirmed that it's a very brilliant idea to go around murdering people who ruined his life right this instant.

"Do you have any fixed plan to get him back?"

The cigarette in his hand was snatched; Kakashi glared but flared himself another one.

"I'm thinking of tailing Deidara for a while. He'll eventually lead me to Naruto's whereabouts."

"And? If you've found him and rescued him, that won't mean they won't kidnap him again. The danger to Naruto will only increase and I think you've exceeded the time to detach yourself away from him. Naruto is growing on you and you can't part with him."

"I'll try. I'll keep him safe."

"Running around helping him every time he is taken isn't really keeping him safe. Are you going to keep him inside a cage for the rest of his life?"

Sasuke blew the air inside his lungs, feeling relaxed and welcoming the return of an old caring friend.

"Then what do you want me to do!? Wait around while he is probably tortured?"

"I don't think Danzo is as stupid as to do that to a person outside the family. I'm sure Naruto ain't being ill-treated or anything."

Sasuke ran a hand through his hair. "It's all my fault, if I hadn't gotten close to him in the first place**…"**

"I don't want to tell you I told you so, but I did. And there is no need to look back now; you've known from day one that this day will come. Right now, we'll have to think of something to do that will ensure that an incident similar to this never happens again."

"The answer is clear. They want me and Naruto to stay away from each other**.**"

"Which you can't do, so, we wouldn't be able answer to that."

"…If it's for Naruto, I can stay away from him."

Kakashi had to roll his eyes at the obvious lie. "Well, he wouldn't. You know how hard-headed he is, he'd kill you before letting you go. And besides, you two are starting to love each other and I'm not talking on friendship basis."

"I don't know if its love, since I haven't experienced it before and I don't think my heart can experience it. But, what I know and am sure of, is that Naruto is special. No one can ever replace him."

Kakashi smirked. "Sounds like a love confession to me. And Sasuke, just because a person's heart has taken a lot of time in healing, it doesn't mean it's forgotten the taste of love."

Sasuke stood up throwing the cigarette stick in the duster and headed towards the door.

"You're not planning on stalking Deidara right now, are you?" At the silent replay, Kakashi sighed. "Sasuke, we agreed that it's not the best course of action to take."

"Then what!?You want me to sit here waiting for some miracle to bring him to me! That's not happening! I have to take a chance and when he's in my arms, we'll figure out what to do later."

"A day to day plan ain't gonna work."

"That's for later to decide. Unless you've something better to help Naruto, I'm going."

Suddenly the door to Kakashi's apartment was opened and a red haired man with perplexing dark brown eyes said as his right hand went to fix his dropping glasses.

"I may have an idea about how to rescue Naruto-kun."

* * *

Naruto glared hard at the piece of iron restraining his hands. He couldn't believe that he was free from Neji's inhumanly strong shackles to have a few days of celebrating, yet now he was given a new pair, just with a darker colour…and without Sasuke holding the other end of the cuff. He huffed in annoyance; honestly, it wasn't like he could freaking escape even if he wanted to! They were on Heaven-knew-what floor and the doors were packed with freaking guards! He wasn't a fucking James Bond to escape from such a security system!

He walked towards the dark shaded windows, and a sigh soon changed his annoyed features. Even though he was here, between the clouds, watching the beautiful scenery play beneath him, he didn't feel any happiness, excitement or a joy. Which was such a pity, too, because you won't come across such a beautiful scene every day.

Naruto tugged at the chains binding his excess to a limit and**,** as always, the wall didn't budge an inch. He slumped on the ground, glaring at his own weakness.

"I see you're still trying to move the wall. If I were you**,** I'd give up already. 'Cause unless you turn into The Hulk, you have a chance of pulling them out as me becoming a saint. Zero."

Naruto's glare turned to the blond chick-dude who has captured him. He spat.

"Keeping me here won't solve a thing, you know."

"Ahaa, but it would help us contain the little prince. These days, he's been acting out of Danzo-Sama's orders**; **he needs a discipline. And you were just God's gift for us."

Deidara sat on the bed chewing an apple, he offered Naruto some, but a glare was his only response.

"I want to meet your Danzo-Sama."

Beautifully sick light blue orbs rolled at his request. "And how many times did I tell you that that is close to impossible? Danzo-Sama doesn't have time for kid's games."

"And you do?"

"More or less."

"Why do you think that holding me here will affect Sasuke? We aren't even friends. He won't bother about me at all."

Deidara touched the bruise on his cheeks and smirked. "Funny how he walked in earlier and seemed overly distressed when he learned that I was the one who has taken you. Was _very_ attached I'd say."

Naruto had to bite down his words, why did Sasuke act without thinking? If only he didn't, then there would be a chance of him talking his way out of this. But now**…**

"You, why are you doing this? Kidnapping is a felony, with real jail time, you know."

"But as I recall, dear hostage-san, you followed me of your own volition. I didn't force anything…well, maybe the drug you drank, but," Deidara shrugged, "it was your decision to come."

"That's 'cause you promised to let me know about Sasuke's family and help me clear any misunderstandings!"

"Are you a kid or something? Why would I, the person who was threatening you to stay away from our prince, want you to learn about the family or**,** God forbid**,** the family understanding any relationship you two might have!"

Naruto bit his lower lip feeling like he might have really under-thought this matter.

"But…you were nice and didn't _seem_ to be dangerous."

"You're an idiot! Who would act violent towards that target they want to lure! Really?! God! What did our prince see in a dimwit like you who didn't even realize he was being deceived!"

"Can you stop with calling me an idiot!? I have a problem with trusting people easily; that's all, which I still don't call a flaw, and like it or not, I didn't think you'd hurt me and 'till now, you didn't, so there! I was kidnapped but that doesn't mean you'd do anything to me."

"I wouldn't be too comfy with that idea if I were you, since everything that will happen to you is decided by Sasuke-Sama's actions."

Naruto knotted his brows not fully understanding what this meant. But before he could speak a word about it, a punch was given to him right under the right jaw.

"Like this. An eye for an eye. And you'd better pray he doesn't go around hitting or killing any of my men, since your body will take the blame."

Naruto held his most-likely-broken jaw and spat the blood out. He watched the long haired blond make his way out of the hotel suite that he was being confined in and slowly started walking towards the bathroom to clean his aching mouth. Maybe wanting to learn more about Sasuke wasn't really a very good idea in the first place.

* * *

Kakashi felt a headache pounding at the back of his head, increasing the number of the toxic sticks into his lungs. He released a puff of air and offered the red haired man a seat into his living room sofa, ignoring the deathly intent Sasuke seemed to harbour towards the glassed eyes.

"Then, what did you mean by having a way to rescue Naruto?" The doctor asked once the red haired seemed to make himself comfortable ignoring Sasuke's glares.

"I know where Naruto-kun is being held. Yet, taking him out won't be so easy. I've made a plan for that act-"

"I refuse!"

"Sasuke," The silver haired man eased while holding his cigarette close. "Let him finish."

"No Kakashi! This bastard here is working with Deidara, he is his fucking partner! How do you expect me to walk right into the obvious trap! He took Naruto and you want me to believe he wants to help him now!? Then why kidnap him in the fucking first place!? Stop joking!"

Sasori fixed his slipping glasses and corrected the hateful words. "In truth, Sasuke-Sama, Deidara acted out on orders from Danzo-Sama personally; I wasn't informed of it thus, had no hand in the act."

"Then why are you willing to help us? You know what will become of you if they know, right?" Kakashi asked before Sasuke could choose to throw another tantrum.

"Yes, I'm familiar with the consequences. But even I have someone whom I want to help out of Danzo-Sama's clutches, and I'm afraid the only way I can achieve that is by aiding you, and serving a different master."

Kakashi raised a brow at this. "You realize that Sasuke is still didn't come even close to the proper age of holding that title."

Sasori nodded. "And I wasn't referring to him."

"Then who were you referring to? I'm sure it's not me since I left the house early on, therefore dropping all of my rights. And as far as I know, there is no other heir except for Sasuke."

"Fortunately, there is. His whereabouts have been hidden so Danzo-Sama doesn't seek him out and murders him. And gladly, he is now back safe and sound."

"Who are you talking about?" Kakashi frowned. "The rightful heirs are only Sasuke and…..No, that's not true**, **can't be true. He died in that fire ten years ago!"

Sasori concealed a mischievous smile. "I'm afraid speaking in here has ceased to become safe. If you'd come with me, I'm sure to fill you in with all kinds of details."

Before Sasuke's mouth could open to object**,** or the confusion inside his eyes and heart became public, Kakashi clasped both his hands on Sasuke's mouth and whispered to his ears.

"The apartment is bugged. We have to get out of here."

Knotting his brows at the sentences, Sasuke released under Kakashi's smoke scented hand. "I don't trust him, what if he is lying?"

Kakashi turned the raven's eyes towards the clock beside the TV, it glittered. "You see that clock? It's not mine, I haven't seen it before, and I'm sure neither you nor Naruto have taken the time of your hormonal lives to get me a clock."

"You think the bug's in it?"

"Sure of it. Besides," Sasuke felt the tone being spoken to him with, darken. "If what Sasori is saying is correct. You'd want to meet this person."

"Wha-"

"Okay, Sasori," Kakashi let go of Sasuke's mouth and headed towards his coats closet. "Lead the way. We're right behind you."

The red haired businessman gave a short nod and exited the apartment with a grinning silver haired doctor and a suspicious prince tailing him.

* * *

Sasuke enjoyed rain. It was his silent friend**;** always pouring to grieve alongside him. When his mother was no longer beside him, the sky rained silently comforting him. When his first friend had betrayed him, it rained. When he failed his first slam dunk and was called an idiot by upperclassmen in primary school, it rained. And finally when he gave a beating to those said upperclassmen for belittling and ridiculing him, the sky had rained. He considered rain his natural ally and would always be joyous when the sky began to rain.

Yet, this time, as he was driving the lately wet streets, he couldn't muster a smile for a dear old friend. His heart was heavy and his emotions were raging. He made a silent amendment to the rain and pulled behind the black Lamborghini SUV, coming to stop beside the overly huge Vila.

Sasori pulled a card and passed it inside the security system. The huge doors were opened and the raven drove behind. Finally, they were able to come inside the parking lot made especially for them. Sasuke stepped out of his car alongside Kakashi as Sasori started guiding them inside the confusion-filled maze.

Kakashi whistled at the designs as they made their way further inside. "Wow, Danzo would sure be jealous if he'd seen this place."

"Our leader's intentions exactly."

"So, he isn't only flaring war on the outside, but on the inside, as well."

"You could say that. This way, gentlemen."

As soon as Sasori's face was seen, the maids disappeared from the hall they were coming through. Sasuke raised a brow at the behaviour and his sense of doubt that there was some sort of a trap waiting at the end of the ungodly long hallway was thickening.

"Doesn't it seem like we've been walking for a while now? Hey, Sasori, you wouldn't be setting up something over there without us knowing**?**" Kakashi voiced Sasuke's suspicions, planting a smirk on the raven's lips, assured that the doctor with him wasn't oblivious to the many possibilities that may lay ahead.

Sasori stopped walking for a second, and turned around pointing to a door to their right.

"You don't have to concern yourself with anything, Kakashi-san. If I wanted you harmed, you wouldn't have stepped alive out of that apartment of yours to begin with."

Kakashi smirked showing his teeth. "There's always the possibility that you want to kill us here, before your eyes, where you don't need to worry about cleaning up and none would witness helping you shoo the press from investigating our disappearance."

"I would say that you have got quite the imagination there. Right this way, please. I don't use any shady ways into finishing off any assignments that were given to me. And luring you into my home is considered a shady way in my dictionary. Regardless, I'm not allowed to hurt Sasuke-sama by the family's rules."

"Hmph, that only relays on Sasuke, you could whack me out in a second." Kakashi retorted.

"Kakashi-san, I assure you, you don't have any need to feel suspicious. My master doesn't wish you harm, he values you as a very important asset to the family. And we have arrived."

The two were led into a big room planted with black. It felt as if this was the place Night lay in when Day was doing its job - complete an utter darkness that would sent chills down anyone's back. Sasuke's mouth twitched into a pleasant smile. He felt right at home.

"If you would take your seats, my master would come shortly to speak with you."

Sasori excused himself out of the room, leaving Kakashi to a sane-wonder as how their red haired host had left the dark ruled room when there was no apparent door to exit with, in fact, he couldn't even see the door they came in with nor the seats they were supposed to take.

"Hey Sasuke, you wouldn't think that this is really where our lives would come to an end?"

The raven haired shounen hmphed. "If it is, my soul would hunt yours **'**till heaven seems like a nice fable of your freaking fantasy."

"A simple yes would have sufficed." Kakashi groaned out.

They didn't have to wait long, for again, the invisible door that Kakashi's eyes failed to see opened and a deep voice he didn't believe he'd ever come to hear radiate in this life time fluttered to both their ears, chilling them to the core.

"Good evening, gentlemen."

Suddenly the dark room flickered with light; Kakashi had to hold down his own shock to control the heavy shiver that rendered Sasuke's body to oblivion. He closed Sasuke's eyes and glared with heated confusion at the long haired, red eyed, pale snake of the Uchiha.

"Itachi."

* * *

Sasuke closed his eyes and opened them again. The events that had played a few minutes ago were still paralyzing his body. He brought his right hand to his face and the shivers were still there. He clasped his hand and unclasped it again; suddenly he felt his tips grow cold. Bringing them to his forehead, he breathed the name that always seemed to calm his heated heart softly.

"Naruto…"

Why was this happening to them? They did nothing wrong. Only lived their lives the way they wanted to. But it was his family's fault. Danzo's fault. If only that old geezer wasn't there. If only his real family was still there. He lost count of how much time he'd spent wishing for this to happen. For his dead mother to fluke back to life. For his father and dear brother not perish in that fire, or to see the bastard, Danzo's body in his mother's closed casket instead. But unfortunately, his cries to the heaven were always shut down and he had to live in complete agony for as long as he could remember.

Still, now, when God had finally answered to his undying wish and brought him back a member of his real family. Why was he so freaked out? Shouldn't he have been happy, overjoyed and jumping from delight? His big brother had come back to life, to protect him, help him, aid him and save him. But…

HOW?

His inner soul screamed.

"Sasuke! You're finally up! I have started to lose trust in my medical ways since it took you longer than anticipated to come to reality. Good thing you are up." Kakashi chirped as soon as he came into the room Sasuke's body was placed to rest in.

"I wasn't out the long, was I?"

"Nope, only three hours." Kakashi grinned then released in concern. "You haven't been getting much of sleep these few days, right?"

Sasuke groaned out as he started sitting up. "No, I couldn't, Naruto was away."

Sighing, Kakashi handed a glass of water to the grungy raven. "Then it's good that you've taken a rest here, your body needs it."

"Have I really been out for three hours? It felt more like five minutes or less."

"Your inner clock is as messed up as your head, and yes, they were three whole hours. But I have to say, I was surprised. Never did I think your arrogant ass could actually faint from shock. How girly~"

Kakashi was hit with the pillow Sasuke's head was rested on a few minutes ago.

"Shut it, old man!"

A rough hand found its way towards his shoulder, and Sasuke had to stare at serious black orbs. "All jokes aside, Sasuke. I was shocked, too. I never expected _him_ to be alive."

Sasuke looked at his hands, feeling a jolt at remembering the chilling voice of his older brother.

"Me, too. Did…" Forcing his voice to steady, he continued. "Did he tell you where he's been all these years?"

Kakashi shook his head. "He said once you wake up, he'll explain everything to us. Sasuke, listen to me; you shouldn't be led around by your emotions here. I know how you're feeling right now, but you can't lash out. Be in control, for Naruto's sake, if not for your own."

Sasuke pushed the hand away from his shoulder and released between gritted teeth. "I know that!"

"If you do, then let's go. I know where he's waiting."

Getting out of bed, Sasuke walked behind his older cousin. He had to force his feelings to lock up inside his heart and control the anger that was seeping from his tips. If he was alive all these years, why didn't he bother to come back and help him? Why, when he cried so hard those dark nights asking for his big brother to come back and save him like he used to do – why didn't he come when he needed him the most?

Sasuke fisted his hands and bit his gum. How dare he show his face right now, when Sasuke was already reaching adulthood? When he forgot the true meaning of happiness or how to smile brightly? When all his innocence was so cruelly ripped away out of his arms? How dare he!?

Kakashi spared a look behind him and sighed. His words weren't getting to Sasuke at all, and the raven was clearly fighting with his inner demons regarding how to handle this business with Itachi. The silver haired man groaned inside his heart and pushed the big door open.

The nice smell of lemon coated tea filled their nostrils in a second.

Sasori directed the two males to sit on an expensive looking sofa, while he called for his master to come to the room. Tea was served to them in the meantime, Sasuke ignored it and Kakashi requested his pack of cigarettes back instead, in which he was given a second later.

They didn't have to wait long for the door was opened and an exhausted looking Uchiha walked in with a sweet smile on his lips and a calm look inside his beautiful orbs. Kakashi put a hand on Sasuke's right shoulder jolting him out of his inner hateful thoughts.

"Kakashi, Sasuke," Itachi welcomed and took a seat on the chair made especially for him. He clapped his hands together and all the maids excused themselves except for Sasori.

Kakashi lit up his second cigarette since the first one seemed to smoke itself without him paying attention and addressed the question they all had in mind.

"Where have you been all these years, Itachi?"

Red crimson eyes smiled at him and Itachi's mouth opened to tell the story he'd saved for as long as he could remember**,** to tell on this particular day. With rain as their background music and the wonderful aroma of lemon tea surrounding them, the words played from his mouth like a nice**,** old memory.

* * *

**Here, done! Itachi has made an appearance, at last! I have always wanted to write him in a story! He is just too cool for words! The perfect big brother. Anyways, looking forward to your reviews! The next chapter will be up as soon as I get it! :D **


	9. Chapter Nine

**Author's Notes: **

**Thank you everyone for the waiting! I'm sorry for being a bit late, but here it is! :D The ninth chapter! Thanks for my amazing beta, XxDreaming of RealityxX, for her editing. Now, I leave you to it, enjoy~**

* * *

"I don't believe you and I will never forgive you!"

"Sasuke, calm down."

Kakashi tried to hold the raven down, only to be pushed back as the angry Uchiha marched with loud steps towards the door.

"I don't trust you or your lies! Go and spurt your bull to someone who is idiotic enough to believe you and don't you dare come close to Naruto! I'll save him on my own!"

Slamming the door behind him, Sasuke left the room in a fit of anger. Kakashi sighed and lit another cigarette, looking at the obviously distressed long haired raven.

"I…I expected him to react this way, and I knew I would feel pain, just not this much."

"Well, what did you expect? His big brother dumped him when he needed him the most and now, out of the blue, you pounce back to life when everyone thought you were dead. I'd say it was the best self-control I saw Sasuke use in a while. Be glad you weren't sworn at."

Itachi released a small smile. "I suppose you are correct."

"So? What are you going to do now?"

"About what?"

"If I still know you as I used to, you wouldn't just sit back when your baby brother is having a problem. And I don't think that part in you has changed with the years."

Sasori was signalled to step out to give them some privacy. With a bow, the redhead walked out the room, leaving the two to their personal conversation.

"I wholeheartedly wish to release Sasuke from Danzo's clutches."

"You can't do that. The rules forbid it."

"Yes, I'm familiar with that. But I have a plan that enables me to do it."

"Don't tell me you really _are_ planning a war?"

"Calling it a war is going a bit far. I'm merely retrieving my rightful place. Danzo underhandedly took what wasn't his; I'm simply taking it back, using the same manners."

Kakashi blew the smoke out of his lungs and directed his eyes to the grown up man before him. "You want to kill him?"

"Killing him will do little to show him the hell he put me and my father through. He needs something worse. Death will set him free, and that's the dream I'll make him wish for, beg for."

"And torturing him will not heal any of your wounds, either." Kakashi remarked. "Maybe it'll even deepen the old scars further."

"Perhaps, but it will get me a peace of mind when little by little, I let him taste what it feels like to watch your own lips cut, boiled and then given to you to eat since there would be nothing else for you to. I'll make him beg me to give him his roasted fingers for dinner."

The deep hatred shone inside Itachi's crimson eyes. Kakashi took a deep inhale, trying to get rid of the disturbing images.

"I see the years have turned you into the perfect avenger, Itachi."

"It's to be expected. Now, Kakashi, there are some things I want you to clarify for me."

"If it's something that won't get me killed, sure, ask away."

"What is Sasuke's relationship with Uzumaki Naruto?"

"What do you think it to be?"

"Answering me with my own question won't forbid me from seeking an answer from you."

"What type of answer are you seeking? The one in my sight or in Sasuke's?"

"I'd settle for your own right now. Sasuke's condition is unstable to have his thoughts poured out to me."

"He'd throw you down a cliff if he heard you say that."

"I'm well aware of his hostility. Your answer?"

"They are lovers-to-be. I can visibly see the attraction inside their eyes, but there is uncertainty and obligation mixed with guilt. Mostly on Sasuke's part. He fears for Naruto's life if he were to get sucked in his mess."

"Guilt? Why does he feel guilt?"

"Sasuke is going to be blind soon, I'm sure you haven't forgotten that fact. And I believe he feels as if he will be forcing Naruto to lead a crippled life alongside him."

Itachi leaned on his left hand causing his long ponytail to sway with his movement. "And how does the Uzumaki kid feels?"

"Naruto doesn't care, as long as he is with Sasuke, he doesn't mind anything."

"Just like his father." Red lips whispered softly.

"Excuse me?"

"I was saying what a wonderful child he is."

Kakashi raised a fine brow. "Are you sure you are the same Itachi who got that maid kicked out just because Sasuke was making friends with her?"

Itachi stood up and put down the cup of tea. "Life has taught me that sometimes, interferers aren't bad."

"You do realize that if they did figure out their feelings, they'd become lovers and you'd cease to be the star inside his eyes?"

"I'm afraid I've lost claim of that position long ago. And it would be close to impossible to get Sasuke to accept me as who I'm right now let alone be anything in his sight."

"Itachi, you really have changed."

"More like forced to view the world with a new set of eyes."

Itachi's pale hand fluttered momentarily over his red orbs and Kakashi had to wonder about the hidden meaning behind the once black orbs that had magically turned red by now, but before he could open his mouth to voice his questions, the door to the room they were in flickered wide open and a distressed looking Sasori walked in fixing his glasses.

"I'm sorry to interrupt your conversation, master. But we seem to have a problem."

"What's happened?"

"Sasuke-sama, he left the Villa."

"Wasn't his room guarded?" Itachi inquired with a calm nerve.

"Yes, but he was able to out-power all the guards and drive out, breaking the front gates."

"That's Sasuke for you; he can't be contained, like a wild cat."

Itachi sighed and looked with serious eyes at the silver haired doctor beside them. "Kakashi, I believe I'll be needing your assistance right about now since the situation is starting to get out of hand."

"If it's helping Naruto, I'll do it."

"Yes it will. Please help contact Jiraiya-sensei. The tables have started turning and time isn't on our favour. I'll need his support this once."

Kakashi had to only nod and pull out his cell to contact an old acquaintance.

* * *

Sasuke bit his lips and cursed; he took a turn and parked his car beside the huge silver gates. Getting out, he let the rain bask him as he made his way towards the only place where he could truly feel comfort and think with a clear mind. His mother's grave.

The marvel made headstone shone brightly in Sasuke's eyes and, stumbling through the wet grass, he made his way under the big oak tree his mother's grave lay under. With a delightful smile to his deceased mother, he sat beside the grave and looked at the scenery stretching before his bleak sight.

Even though numerous headstones glittered from each grave in front of him, the green around them also extended, providing the perfect picture for the souls underneath to rest in peace, Sasuke brushed a hand on the grave and conversed softly.

"Itachi has come back, mother. Turned out he wasn't killed in that fire as we thought. You must be happy that he isn't dead. And…somewhere deep inside me, I think I'm happy, too. But I still can't forgive him. If he was alive all these years, why didn't he come back for me? If I'm the little brother he loved so much, why didn't he protect me like he promised he would?"

A flash of thunder up in the heavens answered his question; Sasuke rested his head on the headstone.

"Everything is so messed up, mother. Remember the annoying kid I told you about? The one I seem unable to shake off…Naruto. Well, he's been kidnapped, by the same man who killed you. I want to save him. But I have no idea where he is. He said he'd never betray me and will always be by my side. Just like what you'd said. And then they killed you. I didn't want him to meet your fate, mother, so, I tried to leave him and push him away, but…he was foolish enough to take my hand."

Sasuke pulled his wet hair out of his face and his eyes shone with deep sadness inside. He rubbed them and ignored the shiver that run down his spine due to the cold weather.

"I honoured my promise to you, not to seek revenge for your death. But mother, if anything bad happens to Naruto**…**I'm sorry**,** but I won't be able to hold back at all. He is becoming everything to me, I've lost so much, and I'm not ready to lose him, too. So as long as those eyes are able to see, I want to be beside Naruto."

A leaf fell from the tree; gently gluing itself to his cold cheek, Sasuke removed it and softly brushed his hands over the words engraved singling his mother's beautiful name.

"If you were here, you'd know exactly what I should be doing; you'd give me a good advice on how I can find Naruto and on how I should address Itachi. My anger is taking over me and I don't want it to, Naruto needs me to keep a cool head and think rationally, but I can't. This is the time I need him the most and he is taken away from me. I miss him so much…so much it hurts, mother."

Suddenly his quiet conversation with his mother had to come to a stop when his cell started ringing. His eyes widened when the name read _'The Dobe'_ and so swiftly, he slide his finger across the screen answering with his heart reaching his throat.

"_Sas…Sasuke? Are you there? Do you hear me? Sasuke!"_

Sasuke had to force his shock mixed happiness to steady the cell not to slide out of his wet hands and answer.

"Y-Yes, Naruto! I'm here! Where are you?"

"_Some kind of a grand hotel, I guess. All I can see around me are skyscrapers._"

"There are a lot of hotels owned by my family. Can't you see any distinguishing marks!?"

The line on his ear went quiet for a sudden, when he was intending to call back his friend's name, the distressed voice rang back up to him.

"_…..There's a dolphin sign beside the hote–AH!" _

Sasuke's eyes widened when the sound of beatings, alongside Naruto's shouts, reached him.

"Hey! Naruto! Are you okay!? Dobe! Are you there!?"

A crashing sound echoed and when Sasuke felt his heart stop, a sinister voice replaced his beloved's.

"_Aaaah. That little rascal, I never thought he'd be able to pickpocket his own cell out of my guard's hands. Oh well, he was taught his lesson._"

Sasuke felt his anger flare at the voice. "I swear I'll kill you when I fucking find you, _Deidara_!"

"_Hmm….I don't think you're in any place to be setting up any threats right now, since your lovely Naru-chan will be the one being delivered the hits to, Sa-su-ke-sa-ma~_" Deidara chirped on the line.

Forcing his heart to quiet down so his brain could think, Sasuke retorted. "What do you want to release him? Is it money? Or do you want me to stay away from him. I will do whatever, just let him go!"

A hysterical laugh rang on the other end. "_You're a bit too late on that notch. If you had agreed this morning, maybe I would have released him. But new orders have come."_

"What new orders?"

"_If you want your little fox to get back to you, bring The Black Snake with you. A simple exchange of bodies shouldn't matter much to you_."

Sasuke knotted his brows at the words. "You want me to bring you an animal in exchange for Naruto?"

The line went silent for a moment, then Deidara's bewildered voice rang with inhumanly laughter. "_Oh my God, Uchiha! Don't tell me you have no idea who The Black Snake is?_"

"Stop your games and tell me clearly what you want!"

"_Hmmm…I guess you weren't left in the dark just with your family's business but also about how they do stuff. Aren't you the ignorant bastard? Really, such a pity._"

Controlling his anger was very hard with the words being thrown at him, and Sasuke released a fragment of it.

"Stop fucking around and tell me what you clearly want!"

"_Hai, hai, you don't need to sound so angry, Sasuke-kun. Our demand is simple; bring Uchiha's Black Snake, which is a nickname for your dear Nii-san. Once he is within our custody, you are free to go live the life you want with the trash you chose._"

"Itachi? What do you mean Uchiha's Black Snake?"

"_We'll be in touch."_

The line went dead not giving Sasuke any time to reinforce a reply. Biting his lips, he kissed his mother's grave goodbye, bid her to pray for him to find the answers he needed soon and drove towards the house he used so much power to break free from.

* * *

"Then? Where have you been all these years?"

Itachi pulled one leg over the other and smiled at the old man. "Italy. My father had a few belongings hidden over there and I could stand on my own two feet over there without anyone bothering me."

"How did you get out of here? You were a mere kid of eleven years old. I don't think the government would have just let you slip into another country without a passport or any identification to who you are."

"A friend helped me. Anyhow, Jiraiya-sensei, I haven't called you here for you to question me about what had happened, I want your information regarding the subject we spoke of."

"You mean the scrolls?"

"Have you found anything that will entitle me to take back my rights?"

Kakashi watched as their old teacher pulled some scrolls out of the bag he came carrying and placed his glasses on his clearly worn-out eyes.

"I've reviewed everything, every old dusty scroll ever made when our first ancestor started ruling the family."

"And?"

"And there is little about overthrowing a current leader. Still, I did come across a little rule that I think will be helpful for us." Jiraiya pulled a worn-out scroll that felt as if it will start tearing any second if handled wrongly, close to his eyes and read. "'If one wasn't found to be fit to rule, even though he or she had achieved all of the required leadership conditions, for he or she had underhandedly acted out any of the anointments, he or she is allowed to be overstepped by a fitter leader.'"

"But that doesn't help your case, Itachi. You still don't have a live proof that Danzo was really the one who had killed your mother and father." Kakashi spoke after Jiraiya finished his little scroll-reading.

"I don't, but Sasuke does."

"Sasuke? I doubt it, if he had anything that would incriminate Danzo; he would be the first to hand it over to the council."

Itachi nodded fixing his robes. "He does, just doesn't know about it, yet. It's inside mother's last kimono."

"What do you mean last kimono?"

"He means the one she was killed in." Jiraiya clarified.

"And how do you know that Sasuke has it?"

"I just do. Sasuke would never throw something of mother's away."

"Then what's inside it?" Kakashi inquired again.

Itachi took hold of one of the scrolls scattered around and replied. "A bug, I planted it there before father and I left to our summer house, I had a feeling the insignificant bastard was up to no good, so I took some measures."

Kakashi whistled. "You were the bright little genius, weren't you? Too bad you were an ass, as well."

"Hn."

The door to their room clicked open and Sasori walked inside with a relieved expression on his face. He made his way towards Itachi and whispered something inside his master's ear, causing the tired face to relax a bit, before excusing himself out of the room; leaving the three gentlemen to their business.

"Seems like Sasuke has returned." Itachi announced the good news to his two guests.

"That was fast, I wonder if something's happened."

"I bet I know." The red eyed leader put a hand under his chin. "Danzo's party should wind up with news about my return right about now, and they want Sasuke to make an exchange with me. Good, everything is going according to the plan."

Kakashi knotted his brows; not liking where those words were going. "You are planning on using Sasuke to infiltrate the main household, aren't you?"

"Not _use_, but have him help."

"Kakashi, you should stay out of this by now, if you get any more tangled into this mess and learn any new information, the life you fought so hard to keep separate from the family will be destroyed." Jiraiya warned.

"But, I can't stand and watch you mess up with his mind again! Do you know how hurt he was when you weren't here anymore?" Kakashi addressed the long haired raven.

Itachi's eyes turned icy cold. "I don't want to hear that from you. If you value him as much as you claim you do, why didn't you stay beside him and help him in his loneliness? You favoured yourself over him, and the first chance you had to escape from Danzo, you took it. Without turning back to the lonely child with no one to aid him."

"If I had stayed any longer into that house, I wouldn't be able to grow sane and would lose myself sooner or later. I had to make the decision to aid him from afar, over slipping in the darkness and ending up destroying him with them."

"And you think he isn't destroyed right now?" Itachi turned his back to the silver haired doctor. "Sasuke is the way he is because of us, we both chose our own selves and disregarded him, that's why I don't have the right to ask for his forgiveness. But I won't save any means to get him out. Even if it means sullying my hands with blood!"

Jiraiya walked and put a cold hand on the stiffened shoulder, he grinned at his long time drinking buddy and said.

"Kakashi, things aren't going to get nice. You have a good life, don't ruin it for this, and remember, you have a fine man waiting for you at home. You wouldn't want him to get back and find you controlled back into the family with no hopes of even being released, now would you?"

"I know what you want me to do, Jiraiya, but I cannot. Iruka's left Naruto in my custody and 'till I'm sure he is one hundred percent safe with no hair out of place, I won't leave. Which also goes for Sasuke, I wasn't able to protect him when he was a kid, but 'm not saving any efforts right now."

Itachi turned with dangerous eyes at him.

"You know what you're getting yourself into?"

"Yes."

"There won't be any chance to turn back. We are going into war."

Kakashi smirked. "I thought you said it was close to an upheaval."

"It would be war. You may die."

"Itachi, not just because you were called a freaking black snake**,** you think everyone around you is weak. I can take care of my own ass, worry about yours."

A smile broke down at the tired face and Itachi nodded at him. "I'm glad to have you abroad, cousin."

"Meeting in better circumstances would have been better, yet."

And the door was flickered open revealing a drenched wet Sasuke with a death glare on his swollen eyes.

* * *

"Listen to me carefully, Sasuke! You are to take Itachi there and don't even think about interfering with anything that happens! Take Naruto out and run before they could catch you!"

Sasuke yanked his hand free from the silver haired man, and stepped outside the black car**;** ignoring the tired sigh that Kakashi has released. Itachi took the umbrella out and sheltered his little brother under it with him, but heatedly, Sasuke walked before him taking his chances with the rain instead of walking alongside the other Uchiha.

"Just leave him be, Kakashi, we have already prepared everything, and he knows perfectly well what he needs to do. Sasuke isn't that dumb to risk the safety of the person he cares about just to release his anger…..hopefully." Jiraiya calmed the doctor and against his better judgment, Kakashi drove the car to a safe distance; praying for the safety of his two cousins.

The two brothers made their way inside, as soon as they were in the main house's lobby, a man in black walked up to them and directed them through the grand house to the room where the exchange was to take place.

Finally, they were led to a door with four guards standing beside it. The man walking with them had to leave as Itachi pushed the door opened. The smell of fresh blood wasn't foreign to each of their noses.

"Well, well, well, look who we have here, if isn't the infamous Snake." The sickly voice called and Sasuke felt his temper rise.

"You son of a bitch! Where is Naruto!?"

Danzo quirked a brow and snapped his fingers to have two men to bring a clearly beaten up blond to their respective eyes. But before Sasuke could make a dash and take what was his, Danzo snapped his fingers again and a punch was given to Naruto's stomach making the blond spit some blood, he smirked.

"I'd watch my language if I were you, boy."

Sasuke gritted his teeth feeling powerless with his feet itching to run retrieve Naruto, but Itachi pushed a hand stopping his little brother from saying any word or doing anything rash that will jeopardize their mission.

"Danzo, I'm here. Your conditions have been fulfilled, let the kid go. He has nothing to do with this. And you know there are absolute rules about involving outsiders into our mess."

"Yes, and I'm not breaking any rules."

Sasuke frowned at the words and his glare smothered with confusion. "What the _fuck_ are you blabbering!?"

Another flicker and Naruto's right arm was twisted, a scream radiated from his lips and Danzo clarified. "I don't like to repeat myself, boy. So, keep your manners or the next thing that will break will be his fingers."

Biting his lips, Sasuke asked in a politer way. "What do you mean by your words?"

Danzo smiled filthily. "That's more like it, and I meant he isn't an outsider. His father is Namikaze Minato. He was one of our own, related in a third degree from his late aunt's side. It took me a while to figure out that this kid was his son because Minato was smart enough to have his wife give the child her last name. But, I found out in the end. So, everything I'm doing to him is just, since he holds a fragment of the family's blood in him."

Sasuke's eyes glittered with shock. "N-Naruto is related to us?"

Danzo put a piece of apple inside his mouth, enjoying his treat. "Not to you precisely, but he is a part of the family. Even if by a little bit."

Itachi glared hard at the fat man opposite of him. "Even if that's true, treating him like this just to lure me out. I won't allow you!"

The fire inside Itachi's eyes had Danzo smirk. "I seem to have hit a nerve. Is it because he is the son of your beloved Minato-san?"

"Someone like you isn't fit to call his name."

"Eeeh? Do you realize the position you are in, Snake? You are surrounded by enemies. I could kill you both without anyone blinking an eye."

"No you couldn't, Sasuke is the heir, you won't be able to touch a strand of his hair."

Danzo's face squeezed with disgust, he threw the knife in his hand towards Sasuke's head; the raven easily dodged.

"The next one would go right through his skull, so mind your words with me!"

"Unhand him!" Itachi ordered. "Bring him over or you'll be flaring war on yourself!"

"You think you are able to threaten me? Go ahead. I was planning on giving him to you once I have you in my hands, but now, the only way I'm giving him back is over my dead body!"

Itachi's eyes filled with rage and he stopped suppressing his power. "That can be arranged."

Naruto had no idea what was going on around him, his ears were blocked and his eyes were blindfolded, but God that punch to his stomach, and the twist to his right arm that almost broke it, he'd felt them magnified! He eeped as suddenly, the harsh arms holding him were gone and a new pair of warm wet hands held him. His eyes widened in their darkness, this was Sasuke's grip, this was Sasuke's smell, was he finally inside Sasuke's arms? Or was he dreaming like the last few nights?

He felt his body being led away, forced to run into many directions, down many halls that he was sure would lose his way through even if he wasn't blindfolded. Finally, they walked out into a chilly atmosphere with the smell or rain in it. A gust of cool air and drops of water were gashing down at him assuring Naruto that it was indeed raining. The blindfold on his eyes was taken off alongside his ears-blockers and Naruto had never felt so happy to see those black orbs as he was now. His arms automatically circled around Sasuke's neck as he drew the latter closer to his body in a bone crushing hug.

"Sasuke! Oh God Sasuke!"

Strong arms held him in place, but soon they left his waist to cup his face. "Sorry, Naruto, I'm so sorry to drag you into all of this. You had nothing to do with this, and yet I..."

Rain fell between them as passing by people whispered to themselves about the two teens hugging under the rainy weather.

"No, no! It's not your fault. It was I who walked right into his trap; you don't have to blame yourself over it."

Sasuke gave him a smile and kissed the tanned, wet hands. "You should be leaving now. Everything is prepared to have you safe. Just trust Kakashi and Jiraiya, they'll make sure nothing happens to you."

"Wait, where are you going?"

His only answer was a deep kiss that made his head dizzy and by the time he came to, Sasuke was nowhere to be seen and he was being hugged by a very worried silver haired doctor.

* * *

Naruto pulled the blanket over his shoulders a bit closer as his eyes glued to the wide windows and the spacious green that lay beyond them. He felt his heart relax a little at the view and his mouth released a comfortable sigh. Green trees being washed by the falling rain with him curled up in the huge bed that was made for him especially with the dim lights in his room. Yes, this was really a calm place.

He was startled out of his trance when a warm cup was placed gently on his right cheek, looking over his back, the serene face of Neji came into view, Naruto fixed his seating so he could face the raven right and gave him a faint nod.

"Here, warm chocolate; it's the best thing to have in a weather like this. I put extra sugar in there for you."

Naruto smiled and took the cup from his senpai. "Thanks."

"Don't mention it. So, how are you feeling?"

"Just aching in some places, my bruises aren't that serious, but they still hurt."

"Yes, Kakashi-san said that it would take a while to heal of the pain."

"I…Sasuke had warned me about his family and how dangerous it is. But I followed him anyway; I wanted so much to learn about Sasuke that I blinded myself to his warnings. In the end, the only thing I brought him was pain and obvious distress. He must hate me by now."

"Sasuke will never hate you, and I think the stress came because he is worried about you."

Naruto nodded, trying to believe the relaxing words spoken to him, and sipped at the hot chocolate; calming a bit at the sweet taste.

"I know. But I can't help feeling that this all happened because I wasn't careful enough."

"Naruto, let me tell you something about the Uchiha family. They are all scumbags with nothing on their minds except money, they are ready to kill, betray, bribe and do everything they can to insure getting it."

"That…That can't be, Sasuke isn't like that!"

"I said the Uchiha family, not Sasuke. He was ashamed of his family, that's why he didn't want you to know them. But in truth, I don't know why, almost every big corporation around the world deals in their ways, my family is no exception."

"Senpai…are you sure you should be telling me this?"

"It's not like you can go and tell anyone. And even if you did, we have ways to silence you.**" **Dangerous lilac eyes faced him and Naruto gulped. "Anyhow, the Uchiha family differs from ours by one thing. They have rules they never walk against. And the orders of their leader are absolute! If he told a person to die, that person should go and die."

"That's horrible!"

"Yes, but they live their lives that way. It's their code. Sasuke, he is the heir to that leadership chair, so, he was given a special education since he was a kid and was taught everything nasty about life. When we were kids, I pitied him a lot, and so I decided to befriend him, but Sasuke, he was a complete jackass and soon my pity vanished away. I guess he doesn't like people feeling sorry for him."

"Yeah, he doesn't."

"What I want to say is that your little incident did nothing more than put fire on the stilled events and move the wheel controlling the Uchiha family's fate."

"But," Naruto looked down at the mug in his hands. "There was blood on Sasuke's clothes. And he didn't look hurt."

"To tell you the truth, it's best if you stopped thinking about it. Right at the moment, a war has been lit inside their household and most likely, Sasuke won't be able to come 'till morning. Take this time and try to get some shut eye. That's the only thing you can do for him right now."

Neji stood up and started heading towards the door, before he could entirely walk outside, Naruto called.

"Neji?"

Holding the door to a crack, the beautiful shounen replied. "What?"

"Would it be alright if I opened the windows?"

Neji smiled. "Do anything you want, and consider yourself at home. Though I won't advice you to start taking walks around the house, it's kinda huge and you'd get lost in it. If you need anything, just press that switch beside the bed and one of my maids will tend to you."

"Mnmm…thanks."

"I told you, no need, I'm getting paid nicely for letting you hide in here."

With a cheeky smirk, Naruto was left to his own thoughts.

* * *

Naruto groaned at the hand creeping up his stomach, he switched to his other side and the hand turned to his back. So, annoyed out of his mind, he flapped his legs to hit whatever was making him uncomfortable, but wetness had him search in his drowsy-awakening for the reason his legs were swimming in water. Opening his eyes; wide awake, Naruto hurriedly closed the window beside his bed and gasped at the drenched crib.

Just when he was about to stumble out of it and have someone come change the sheets, a pale hand was thrown over his midsection bringing him back under the covers.

"Just stay put, Dobe. I'm too tired to move right now."

Naruto felt his eyes widen at the pale teen splayed beside him. Without thinking hard, he pounced on top of Sasuke, hugging the life out of him and forcing him back onto the bed hard. Trying to breathe straight, Sasuke hugged the blond back in a human way.

"I…I…I was so worried, Sasuke!"

Sasuke brought his hands to massage Naruto's scalp as wetness drenched his own shirt. "Yeah, I know you were."

"Don't do that again, leaving me behind and going off to where I don't even know! I was scared shitless!"

"I'm sorry, Naruto. But I had to stand up with my brother. He was setting off a war because of me. I had to be there for him."

Naruto drew back a little and wiped the tears running down his cheeks. "You…you're alright now, right? Nothing bad had happened to you, right? No wounds, missing limbs or anything."

"Yeah, a few scratches here and there but I know how to fight."

At his words, Naruto's eyes filled with water and he threw himself on those welcoming arms again.

"Sasuke, I was so scared! I wanted to tell you everything, but I knew you'd want to stay away from me then, and I couldn't do it. I can't leave your side. I never want to leave your side!"

Sasuke smiled and kissed the head in his arms. "Yeah, me too. With or without eyes, I want to always keep looking at you."

Naruto had to lift himself again to be able to see Sasuke's face right. "All the time I was cooped up in that room, my thoughts were always on you. When I slept or when I was eating. I was always missing you. I thought I'd choke from not being able to breathe the same air as you, it killed me inside."

Sasuke brought a hand to trace Naruto's lips with his fingers; he was a bit surprised when Naruto's tongue came out sucking on the fingers gently with a sweet blush to go with those lovely cerulean big orbs.

"Dobe, stop turning me on. I'm too tired to do anything with you right now."

Naruto took the fingers away from his mouth and parted Sasuke's lips with his tongue. "Are you too tired to kiss me?"

"If we start, it won't just be a kiss. Besides," Sasuke pointed to their entwined legs and the water they were bathing in. "We'd better get someone to change these before it seeps into the bed and ruin it."

Naruto pouted but got up from his the pale Uchiha after giving a kiss that his whole body wanted him to give. He stretched his hand and pushed the button Neji had told him about to call for help if he needed anything.

A minute later, a maid was bowing to them. Dragging a grungy Sasuke out of the wet bed, the two were directed to another room 'till the maids fix this one. Sasuke put all his weight on the new clean bed they were given and shouted for his blond to lock the door.

Naruto knotted his brow. "But they'll call us when our room is cleaned."

"They don't have to; this room is as good as the one we were in. Just lock it, Naruto."

Against his feel of curtsey, Naruto obeyed. Sasuke started stripping from his jeans and shirt, allowing Naruto excess to his white skin.

"You, too. Get out of these clothes; they'll be in the way."

Naruto blushed and looked at his pyjamas. "But you said we won't be doing anything."

"Nothing overly sexual. You wanted to kiss, right?"

"It sounds wrong when you say it."

A shy Naruto removed his shirt and the eyes poring holes into his bruised skin weren't giving him any rest. Sasuke smirked when Naruto so hurriedly got inside the covers; faintly shying away.

"The fact that you still feel embarrassment after all the things we have been doing together, makes my desire to tease you burst!"

Sasuke went under the covers and started licking on the tan skin, laughter rang filling the big room like a nice melody; the raven moved his right hand to the area under Naruto's ribcage and suddenly, the laughter released a shriek of pain. Startled by the sudden jolt, Sasuke pulled the covers putting light on Naruto's bruises. A big purple circle was forming underneath. Sasuke brushed over it lightly.

"Aw!"

"Sorry."

Naruto shook his head at the raven that regarded all sexual intentions to the back of his head and sat crossing his legs with eyes focused on the bruises spread all over Naruto's body. Naruto tucked a black lock back to Sasuke's hair and raised those beautiful eyes to meet his own.

"Stop it, Sasuke. It's not your fault. And they will go away in a day or two."

"When? When did you get this one?" Sasuke asked pointing to the one covering half of Naruto's right side.

"Hmm…I think two days ago. The blond dude that was keeping me was upset about something, and I teased him a bit, he wasn't all that happy to be teased it seems**.**"

"It's me. I did it."

"Sasuke, I told you, it's not your fau-"

"But it is! Every time I do or say anything wrong, the punishment falls on your body! They know they can't touch me, that's why they went after you!"

"But I'm fine now. Not even a bone broke, just bruised."

Sasuke sighed and circled that tan body in his arms. "And thank God for that. If they did anything bad to you, I'd have killed them!"

"Sasuke,"

"Yes?"

Naruto gave the brightest smile he could ever master and pulled that face close to his. Placing his forehead on Sasuke's, he whispered softly only for them to hear.

"Kiss me; kiss me 'till I pass out."

Smirking at the request, the Uchiha teen didn't take long into obliging.

"Your wish is my command, master."

* * *

Sasuke pulled a cigarette out of his pants and lit it swiftly opening the window as not to wake the blond hugging his midsection with the smell of it. The door to the room they chose to sleep in was knocked. He ignored it and took another sip, for even if he did want to open it, Naruto was forbidding his every movement, clutching so adorably onto him. Sasuke placed a gentle hand to ruffle the blond hair on his lap; at this moment, it would require the heavens fall down to have him leave those warm arms.

Suddenly, the door to the room switched open, if Sasuke wasn't careful, the cigarette in his hand would have burnt the beautiful being on his lap. He looked with bewildered eyes at his long haired friend.

"How…?" He whispered.

Neji rolled his eyes and closed the door behind him. "You honestly didn't think I'd only have one copy of my own house's keys?"

"I thought you'd respect our privacy! But I see that was a miscalculation on my part, as well."

"I couldn't just let you have sex on my own territory without busting you in the act."

"Perv. And I'm glad to say this now, but we didn't have sex."

Neji frowned with puzzled eyes. "But you did have sex before, right?"

"Nope. He got too scared when I inserted a finger in him, I don't think he was all that prepared."

A whistle that Sasuke hushed with a pillow rang from the lilac eyed bishounen.

"Having the other to be prepared isn't really important in sex. When I had my first time with Gaara, he was scared shitless and wasn't in the least prepared."

Sasuke blew the smoke to the outside, watching briefly the beautiful scenery play with the rain.

"But you were the one being penetrated. You had prepared yourself. But Naruto didn't, we were just going with the flow, and that wasn't enough. Besides, If he didn't prepare himself right, he would only sense pain." A pale hand stroked Naruto's locks having him turn closer to Sasuke's body heat in his sleep. "I don't want him to feel pain."

"Pain is good sometimes, Sasuke. I enjoy it."

"Alien to what you believe, the rest of the world isn't as masochistic as you."

"You don't need to be a masochist to enjoy pain. Look at Gaara, he is a living proof. He hates pain, terrified of needles, but when we have sex, he doesn't mind a little pain."

"That's 'cause you've trained him!" Sasuke retorted with a suck to his smoke.

"Try not to dig too much into details. And sure, he'd hate sex, you _and_ his body the first few days, but when the third time comes, sex would be heaven to him!" Neji chirped happily.

"Honestly, your messed up sexual advice is the last thing I need right now."

"But you should. I have been having anal-sex for as long as I can remember. And nothing tops it!"

Sasuke wrinkled his nose in obvious disgust and threw the finished stick out the window.

"Neji, you didn't come here to just catch me and Naruto going at it like rabbits. What did you want?"

The long haired raven grinned at him. "Always the sharp one, eh Sasuke?"

"State you reason or get out. I don't want you to disturb him."

"Cranky, too. Well, your big bro is here. And for some strange reason, he ain't here to see your smartass. He wants our little sleeping angel over there."

Sasuke frowned not liking this one bit. "Wants Naruto? Why?"

Neji shrugged walking towards the door. "Beats me, I'm just a little letter bee. Make sure you two are down in half an hour. I don't like to keep my guests waiting."

"Tell him to piss the fuck off. I don't want to see him, and neither does Naruto!"

"Aha. No can do, Sasu-chan. He is a future business. I never turn down future businesses. So, stop acting like a sulking little child and wake him up!"

Neji made sure to shut the door with an echo, jolting the sleeping blond on Sasuke's lap wide-awake. Cursing his long-time friend, Sasuke had to kiss Naruto to wake him up properly from the confused trance Neji's unearthly way had placed him in.

* * *

Naruto's eyes widened as he came down the stairs, staring at the man that he was told to be Sasuke's older brother who had disappeared for a long time. His uncertain steps broke down into a run as he came flying happily into the arms of the other Uchiha, hugging the hell out of him, sending not only Sasuke but the rest of the people present into a total state shock.

"Itachi-onii-chan!"

Itachi brought his hands and hugged the teen back, putting a gentle smile to address him. "I'm glad to see you all grown up and well now, Naruto."

"Yep! I'm happy to see you, too. It has been such a long time! How have you been?"

Before Itachi could reply to the earnest question, Naruto was yanked out of his hold and into a strong protective arms, Naruto stood dumbfounded for a minute with a goofy grin on his face.

"How do you know each other?" Kakashi was the first to voice the thoughts going inside everyone's head.

Naruto's grin widened. "Itachi-onii-chan was always coming to visit us at home. He was friends with my dad."

Sasuke hissed at the blond in his arms, when he tried to reach out for the hand of his older brother. "Don't even think about it, Dobe."

Still dumbfounded as to why Sasuke was acting like a mother cat with its child being ripped away from her, Naruto obeyed the orders.

"Itachi, you knew Minato?"

Before Itachi could answer to Kakashi's question, Naruto interrupted with one of his own.

"You know my dad, Kakashi?"

The silver haired nodded, scratching the back of his head. "We met through Iruka. Back when your father was alive, he always came to a Ramen shop where Iruka and I worked together, he would always chat with Iruka, so I got intrigued and was introduced to him."

"Wait! Iruka knew my father?"

Kakashi raised a brow. "Just how much don't you know? They were automatically becoming best buds. And if your father wasn't married and with a child of his own, I would have been worried to leave Iruka alone with him."

"So," A nice smile replaced the goofy grin on Naruto's face. "Iruka knew my father."

"I just said that."

"He is trying to have the information sink in, old man!" Sasuke was soon pouncing to protect his future love. "It's not his fault that his mind needs to repeat stuff to have them sink in!"

And his feet were stamped on as a result. Naruto walked away hmphing and took a seat beside the new addition to his contacts.

"So, Itachi-onii-chan, where have you been all these years?"

A warm hand came to pet his head and Naruto felt himself blush in embarrassment. Oblivious to the black dragon spurting fire and hot lava behind him.

"Here and there, Naruto, here and there."

"Hey! You still haven't answered my question," Kakashi called the two out of their alone conversation. "How do you know Minato?"

Itachi released Naruto's head from his hand and glared at Kakashi. "He used to work in one of our companies, and had a marvellous gift of making toys and marketing them. I knew him from there, and most importantly, Hyuuga-san," Bloodshot orbs faced the teen.

"Yes?"

"I remember requesting an audience with Naruto alone, how come there are a lot of people in this room? If this is how The Hyuuga family does business, I'm afraid we Uchiha won't be addressing you any time soon."

Neji replied with a business like smile. "There is no need for the extreme, Uchiha-san. A room free of parasites was prepared for you specifically, if you'd walk with me**.**"

Naruto happily pounced beside Itachi as Neji led them to the room they needed, ignoring the black haired teen that was being held down not to follow by Neji's guards. The door closed behind the three males leaving a very pissed off Uchiha and a complaining about being called a parasite Hatake.

They were led to a different cozy room and Neji left the two to their conversation gently closing the door after assuring them that no one would come to interrupt. As soon as they were alone, Naruto gave the older man another hug, this time, Itachi hugged back with the same force.

"I'm glad you are back! I missed you so much, Ita-nii!"

"As did I."

"So," Naruto pulled the pale hand and led them to a sit on a fine looking couch. "Tell me of what had happened to you. I was always wondering."

Itachi smiled at the beautiful face and reached his hand to stroke Naruto's right cheek. "You look so much like him."

Naruto's eyes softened to the warm hand and he offered a bright smile. "Yeah, he really did miss you, too."

"I'm sorry. I wanted to come back when I'd heard of the news, but I couldn't. I hate myself for it. Did…" Itachi forced his voice to calm down and steady. "Did he suffer?"

Remembering the burns on his dad's skin and the last words being said to him, Naruto felt it would be best not to tell the obviously affected man this.

"No. He didn't. It was a peaceful death for him."

"I see, I'm glad then. Naruto, I want a favour from you,"

"Anything."

"Could you go with me to his grave some time? Strangely, I can't bring myself to muster the courage to go there alone."

Naruto put his hand on top of Itachi's and nodded. "Of course! He'd be more than happy to see you. You know, Dad was always wondering about what had become of you. And he called the number you left numerous times, but it refused to connect."

"That's because I've left Japan and had to go to Italy for some time. When I got there and was able to support myself, I heard of the news, I wanted to come back then, but there was quite a load of unfinished business forbidding me to."

"You don't have to feel bad about it, when Dad died; of course I was sad for a while, but then Iruka adopted me and with his help, I returned to my cheerful self in no time. So, don't feel sad about it, okay?"

"He really raised you to be such a good boy."

Naruto smiled at him. "Yeah, I'm grateful to have him in my life. And you should meet him; I know you two would get along just fine."

"I would love that."

"Then I'd tell him as soon as he gets back from his business trip!"

Itachi stroked the soft golden locks with his eyes glued to Naruto's. As if lost within a nice dream, he lowered his lips to touch Naruto's and planted a soft kiss to them. The blond stood still for a while, then something inside his heart began to squeeze with sadness and he allowed Itachi that one kiss.

The red-eyed man moved away from Naruto with a smile on his face. "Thank you, for not pushing me away."

Naruto shook his head with a serene smile and looked at their joint hands.

"Ita-nii, there is something I've always noticed since I was a kid, and right now I'm kinda sure of it. Still, I would like your clarification,"

"What is it, Naruto?"

"Were you in love with my dad?"

Itachi grinned and tipped Naruto playfully on the nose. "That question is wrong. You should ask, are you still in love with my dad?"

Wide blue orbs faced him and slowly, Itachi nodded a yes to his own question.

"S-Since when?"

"I think it was after the fire in my house, did Sasuke tell you about it?"

"No, not yet."

"Then I'll leave that story for him to tell. But, I can tell you my part though, when I lost everything I had in that fire, I was wandering the streets in a state of shock and despair. Had your father not found me nearly passed out on a back allay, I would have been dead today."

"You mean since that time you came to stay with us for a while, you fell for my dad?"

"Yes. He offered me a different side of the world, and helped me through it. I came from resenting his happiness and cheerfulness into taking it as a part of my soul."

"Did you tell him? About how you feel, I mean?"

At the head shake, Naruto felt his eyes fill with grief.

"I could not. I knew his heart was filled with memories of your deceased mother and sadly, her presence was too overwhelming for me to compete with. I had to leave him before he found out about my feelings and every nice memory we shared get shattered."

Naruto grabbed tightly to the cold hand in his. "But….but, you know, Dad, he was very sad when you left. I think that losing you alongside losing my mother that's broke him. Dad may not have said it, but he really did love you."

Itachi smiled gently and brushed over the marked cheeks.

"Naruto, I was only a fourteen year old kid. Whatever love he had for me, it was that of a parent or a nurturing adult. His feelings weren't on the same level as mine."

"But I'm sure they would have been! My dad was a very dense human being and couldn't pick up on people's emotions fast. But, I'm sure, if he was still alive and you were by his side, he'd have fallen for you! You're a very charming person, Itachi-onii-chan, and I wouldn't have objected to you and my dad hooking up!"

He was given another set of smiles with a gentle pet. "Thank you, Naruto. It would have been nice if that had happened instead."

Suddenly the door to their quiet room was opened and an angry Sasuke ripped their shared hands apart taking Naruto into his arms again. He roared at Itachi.

"I don't care if you are my brother or the leader of our family right now, dare and touch Naruto without my permission and I'll shred you to pieces!"

With that, Naruto was dragged out of the closed room with a flaming set of arms holding him. He sent a tiny wave to the other Uchiha and with a smile given to his wave; Itachi's face disappeared from his viewfinder.

* * *

"Sasuke! That was inappropriate and plain rude! We weren't even done talking yet!"

"Well to me you were! How do you think I feel when you go around hugging guys and letting them hold your hand and pet your head!?"

Naruto huffed his cheeks and plopped on the bed. "Firstly, Itachi-onii-chan isn't just a normal guy. I've known him since I was a kid, and it doesn't mean anything when I let him hold me or take my hand or even petting me! He is like the older brother I have never had."

"Well he isn't! So, next time you decide to show your invisible brotherly love, do it where I can't see."

Sasuke pulled the blankets over his head obviously sulking. Naruto sighed and climbed over the bed. He tried to take the blanket off his other half, but when getting to be stubborn, Sasuke was always topping him. He sighed again.

"Sasuke, we kissed."

And the second thing Naruto knew, he was being overthrown on the bed with a furious teen on top of him.

"YOU WHAT!?"

"Kissed, Sasuke. He kissed me."

"I'll fucking KILL him!"

Naruto had to hold the tiger over him down before he could run off really killing his big brother over a silly old kiss. "Sasuke, please calm down! It's nothing serious! It didn't mean anything!"

"Fuck it didn't!"

"If I said it didn't, that means it didn't! If you trust me, please calm down! You're the only one whose kisses mean anything to me!"

Sasuke stopped struggling Naruto's hold at this, and sat back pulling the blond's face up to his own. "Did you kiss him back?"

"No," Naruto replied truthfully. "But I didn't push him off either."

Sasuke scowled at his other half. "Naruto, are you trying to ignite me on purpose?"

"No. I just want you to know everything that had happened, and for you to calm down and let me understand why you hate him so much. What did he do to hurt you?"

"He kept quiet about the fact that he was alive, and while I was being tortured by fucking Danzo, he was off enjoying himself with some stupid chicks!"

Naruto looked the raven straight in the eyes. "You don't really believe that. And neither do I. Sasuke, do you know why I didn't push him away?"

"There is no reason in this whole world that would force you not to!"

"It's because his kiss was very sad. He wasn't doing it, but his soul was weeping, broken and desperate. I could sense it all, Itachi-onii-chan hadn't led an easy life, if there is something I'm sure of it would be this. I know he must have tried his hardest to come back here, but unfortunately, his hardest was simply not enough."

"Are you defending him just because you sensed sadness in his kiss?"

The hand pinning him released him for a second and Naruto used that second to sit upright, trying to lead a normal conversation before Sasuke would flip out again and rape him.

"It is a part of it, but not all. Did you know that he was and still is in love with my father?"

Sasuke's orbs knotted and he ran a hand through his hair. "That can't be, your father has been dead for a while now."

"Yes, ten years, give and take. And he is still madly in love with him."

"You sure about that, Naruto?"

The blond nodded with a sad smile. "Itachi-onii-chan didn't confess to dad, and he spent his life refusing himself that. But, to be able to go through the ache and sadness knowing the person you love isn't around in this world anymore and no matter how hard you want, you'll never be able to see them again, that required a courage I don't think I have." Naruto held tightly to Sasuke's shirt. "If you were gone, I'd go mad. I will not be able to breathe and I wouldn't know what to be without you around. So please, he had been through a hellish pain, and you don't know what may have forced him not to contact you. Please, don't push him away. He needs a bit of peace in his life right now."

Sasuke eased the blond in his arms trying to comfort the tears before they start to gather. "Even if you beg me, Naruto, I can't do it, the wounds in my heart are too deep for me to just forgive him and forget about everything. I am too angry to do that."

"Then, how about you start little? Day to day conversations. Try not to shout so much in his face and see how things would go."

"I…I'm not sure**.**"

"Please, Sasuke! For my sake!"

Pleading orbs faced his sceptical ones and Sasuke sighed. He spared a kiss to the other's temple and assured.

"I'll try, although I can't promise you with anything right now, but I'll try to look past my anger and connect on some level with him."

"That's all I'm asking, Sasuke. Thank you."

Naruto allowed himself to fall and rest gently into the warm embrace as his eyes started closing thanking whatever God who was listening to let him hold onto Sasuke like this forever. The past few days, he'd experienced the taste of life without Sasuke, and how bitter it was. He'd felt sorry for his self at the beginning, to recognize how dependent he was becoming of Sasuke's presence and to take it as a part of his life, he was really pitiful. But…

He looked up to those onyx, midnight orbs and the little fox inside him began dancing in happiness.

"Sasuke, how about a basketball match?"

"It's raining."

"Neji said he has a private court inside."

"When did he say that?" Sasuke said with a frown.

"One day when we were practicing, so, what do you say, ready for a little match?"

Sasuke smirked and lowered the confused blond slowly on the bed. "The only type of match I'm ready for is the type that gets us tangled in the sheets with hot body fluids running between us."

Naruto shivered at the husky whisper into his ear and his hands reached unconsciously into Sasuke's locks. He blushed and darted his eyes to the big window. "We can't. We have to respect the place we are in."

"Neji won't mind, he offered all the means for us to have a perfectly enjoyable first time."

Naruto's face deepened in red. "Sasuke, you remember what had happened the last time we tried having sex? Your…umm…finger couldn't go in."

The raven sighed. "I'm afraid it's you who doesn't remember right. My finger _did_ go in, but you got too scared to complete."

"That's 'cause Kakashi was right next door! And I wasn't prepared. My feelings for you aren't complete yet. I can't have sex before I know what I really want."

"Naruto, it's obvious what you want, you just have to have the courage to claim over it. And I won't force you if you don't want to, but for both of our sakes, come to truth with your feelings quickly, I can't hold my self-control forever."

Naruto felt a sting of sadness wash over him when Sasuke raised himself away from him and began walking towards the door. He reached his hand not wanting the other to go off in anger.

"Where are you going?"

At the frightened look, Sasuke smiled and gave Naruto a tender kiss on his lips.

"Just the bathroom, don't worry, I won't run away from you. I have long settled with my destiny to be with you and I won't let go just because of sex. You can relax. Just focus on figuring out your own feelings, okay? And tell me as soon as you can. I'll be waiting."

Naruto released the hold he had on Sasuke's shirt and nodded to the words, watching his other half walk out of the door; he slumped on the pillow**, **cursing his own feelings and indecisive self.

* * *

**Okie, to all of you out there who hate seeing Itachi and Minato together, I'm sorry and please don't drop this fic because of that xD. It's just that I think it's perfect and cute for Itachi to hold feelings for Minato and never tell him. So, yeah…I would love to hear more about your thoughts and opinions, so review. And stay tuned for the next update! Thanks for reading so far! :D**


	10. Chapter Ten

**Author's Notes:**

**Hi, everyone. Glad you're still here and reading :D. This chapter is a bit emotional, so bear with it, and I advise you to read it with the sound of rain at the background (that's what I did when I wrote it lol) and you'll enjoy yourselves, I guarantee it! So, thanks to my wonderful Beta, XxDreaming of RealityXX, for making this chapter amazing and mistakes-free as best as she could, and I'll leave you now to the story, enjoy~**

* * *

Naruto closed the umbrella he was holding and placed it in his locker. He cracked his neck; feeling the tiredness of the morning drain away from his aching body. A yawn escaped his mouth as he started collecting the books he needed for the day. Putting them all inside his backpack, he swiftly spared a backward glance, searching for the raven that most probably would have already left to his own classroom. Naruto sighed and lazily started climbing up the stairs.

The rain that had broken down on the second day of his so-called abduction hadn't stopped until now, and even though the weather reports said that it would most likely let out by the end of their current week, Naruto had his doubts. He walked towards his classroom and swung the door open, glad that his home teacher seemed to be running a bit late.

As soon as he was inside, a flash of pink blinded his vision as he was pushed heavily towards the door with a crying girl glued to his neck. Naruto blinked the sudden dizziness away and focused on the nice aroma that he came to know so well, he gently wrapped his arms around her body, hoping to calm the shaking a bit.

"N-Naruto! I'm so sorry! It's all my fault! If I hadn't left you there all alone, thinking only about myself, none of this would have happened!"

Naruto smiled and soothed her back, knowing exactly how she must've spent the days he was away in beating herself up and taking all the guilt into her fragile body. "No, Sakura-chan, I was the one who followed him on my own free will, if there's someone who should be apologizing, then that person is me. I should have said something before I went."

Sakura held the other tightly in her arms, ignoring the whistles that flashed from their classmates and some childish comments on how they wanted to see a kiss initiate between the two lovebirds. "No! If I had told Sasuke-kun the truth in the first place and didn't agree to go alone…you…you wouldn't have been kidnapped!"

Naruto pushed the girl gently away from him to be able to see her face. He was a bit surprised at the puffy red eyes and the running nose, but his smile returned in a moment when a new set of tears were threatening to run down her swollen rosy cheeks.

"Sakura, I'll tell it how many times you need so you can get it straight to your book-loving brain, I was the one who convinced you not to tell Sasuke and I was the one who ran behind my kidnapper, it's not your fault. It's mine. I was the stupid one. So, please, it hurts me to see you like this."

"But…but…" Sakura hiccupped, unable to hold in her tears.

"No buts, Sakura, it's my fault and I'm solely responsible for what happened. Besides, I'm not really injured, just bruised, they haven't done anything serious to me, Sasuke made it in time."

Sakura steadied her voice from another round of welling and wiped the tears rolling down her cheeks with her hands. Ruffling through his jeans' pocket, Naruto got out a soft tissue; he dried the water from Sakura's face and placed it on her nose.

"Blow."

The girl did as told, and Naruto threw the dirty tissue to the trashcan beside the door.

"A-Are you sure you're alright?"

"Yep. If I wasn't, I wouldn't be here, as you know, I'm not so big on studying as you are, and if I were ill, I'd take the opportunity without a second thought," He winked at her, earning himself a smile finally. "Come on now, class is about to begin."

Sakura nodded finally feeling her heart relief from all the worrying and stressing out it has been doing for the past days and the two walked to their distinctive seats. Naruto put the bag he was carrying on its rightful loop and opened the window beside his seat to a tee. Rain was still coming down, but it had turned to be more of drizzle than a heavy storm. He sighed.

"Naruto?"

Switching his view to the pink haired girl beside him, he answered with a smile. "Yeah?"

"I want to thank Sasuke-kun for saving you. So, could you please take me to see him later this day?"

And Naruto's smile turned into a wide grin. It would be the most joyous day of his life when his two favourite people in the whole world came to enjoy each other's company and liked each other, well, like each other enough not to slaughter the other's throat when he left them alone.

"You don't even have to ask! I'm sure he would be happy to hear it!"

Sakura gave a little bright smile of her own and nodded. To see that expression on her dear Naruto's face, trying to get along with the raven and giving him a second chance was totally worth it.

* * *

Naruto sneezed as he walked towards his club court; he tugged the ball protectively inside his arm and frowned when he saw the image of his teammates standing beside the closed door. He walked towards his red haired friend and stood in question.

"What's going on here?"

"The door's locked." Gaara stated the obvious with a nonchalant voice.

Kiba rolled his eyes at the tall redhead and butted into the conversation. "He can see that just fine, moron! Well, Naruto…seems like school has banned practice for the week."

"Banned? What do you mean banned?" A still processing-the-news-Naruto asked.

"Banned as in stopped, forbade, refused to allow us to do it." Gaara provided meanings.

Naruto contained himself not to punch his friend to the other world. "I know what banned means. But why? They can't do that! Our semi-finals are two weeks away! And we have been resting for three weeks now! We need practice!"

A flying paper came resting down on the back of his head, hitting him right in the centre. Turning with teary eyes behind him, Naruto glared at the bun-haired female dressed in white jersey, but his glare came mostly as a quiet whimper.

"Enough shouting in the morning!"

"It's technically not morning, it's the afternoon, but since the weather is like this, we can't see the sun," A harsh glare was given to Shino and he eeped, closing his correcting trap. "Morning it is, Ma'am!"

"Good! Any smartass comments from anyone?" Feelings satisfied that none of her boys dared to raise a voice or a tone at her, Tenten continued. "I expected so. Now, the school has banned us practicing this week because they need to renew the stadium. Seems like the storm a few days back had achieved more damage than we did to the ceiling."

"Does that mean we won't be practicing anymore?"

"Of course you will! There is no time left to waste! We have two weeks to shape your asses and polish them for the semi-finals!"

"But how can we do that when we don't even have a court to play in?" Kiba questioned.

"And we won't be able to perform on the old court since it doesn't have any ceiling and the world is raining." Backed Shino.

"Beavis and Butt-head, none asked for you to speak! If you interrupt me again, I'd expect seventy five push-ups to be done in a mere fifteen minutes!"

And with her eyes glinting that way, it was not just a threat. The two boys snoozed with a shiver.

"Won't happen again!"

"Understood, Ma'am!"

Tenten smiled and started walking, pulling her umbrella open as to not wet her newly bought outfit. "Alright, follow me. I'll take you to your new playground, boys."

The thought of telling her that they were walking right into the rain without any protection whatsoever flashed momentarily into the team's mind but descended to the ground with the falling rain the next minute with the knowledge that she wouldn't give a damn about it. Groaning, they started following her out of the school gates and into the open rain; all the while praying to reach their destination before one of them got pneumonia.

Finally, the four boys had to stop beside a black huge SUV. Blinking, they waited to see who was inside. The window rolled down and the grinning face of their senpai flashed to assure them.

"Come on, guys, hop in!" Kankuro chirped to the frightened kittens.

Tenten folded her umbrella and took the front seat, signalling for her players to take the seat they wished. They happily obliged to escape the cold, assured that since their senpai was here, their evil manger would not be sending them to their doom. Once inside, the brown haired senpai started driving.

"Umm…Senpai, where are we going?" Naruto asked with a confused tone. Out of all their senpais, Kankuro was always the one that emitted the loving-older-brother vibe, and so all the new players felt that they could speak to him about anything and not get scared of having said subject be blown on their faces.

"That's a surprise, Naruto!"

"But, shouldn't we wait for the other players to come?" Shino asked.

"There is no need; they have already gone ahead of us. You were the last ones, so late every time…" Tenten answered with a sigh.

"It's not our fault! We have more subjects than either of you, so, we stay longer in class!" Kiba retorted hiding a snort.

"Well, I know. That's why I always wait for your stinky asses!" Tenten barked at him, using the only language that Kiba understood.

Calming the dog beside him as not to flare their manger and have a certain punishment await them, Shino asked, "But this new court seems far. I can't go to it everyday from school, I don't have the car to do it."

"Yeah, and taking public transportation would take forever and if we did, when we reach the place you're taking us to, we'll be too tired to move a muscle let alone practice!" Naruto continued.

"Not to worry, boys! It's my duty to drive you to and from the new court." Kankuro explained. "Besides, it would only be for two weeks, 'till they fix our stadium."

"But the _semi-finals_ are in two weeks, and we'll have to go to whatever city it's being held at, that means we won't be able to play in our stadium 'till we get back."

Tenten shook her head at Naruto's words. "The semi-finals place has been altered. It will be held here, in our own city."

"What? When did this happen?" Shino asked.

"Last week, all team managers have been noted."

"Hooray! That means my family would be able to watch me play! And Hinata-chan, too! Yay!"

Naruto directed puzzled eyes to Kiba. "Who is Hinata-chan?"

Grinning like the dog he was, Kiba chirruped. "My girlfriend. Oh yes, you've never met her before, right Naruto?"

"Can't say that I have. Is she a student in our school?"

"Nope. She goes to an all-girls private high school, for rich girls, too."

"Then, how did you meet her?"

"Believe it or not, they met at a supermarket, he was working part-time there and she had sneaked away from her servants to get a taste of the _'ordinary life'_. Such a corny story. He helped her when some thugs wanted to harm her and then she was doomed to him."

"Hey! What do you mean doomed to him! We fell in love!"

Shino rolled his eyes. "You fell in love, she fell in the trashcan."

Kiba puffed his cheeks and stuck his tongue at his best pal. "Whatever, you're just jealous because you couldn't score a hot babe like mine! Eat your heart out!"

"Yeah, real mature, Kiba, real mature."

Before the brunet could pounce over Shino and show him what mature was, Naruto held him back, attempting to calm the atmosphere.

"Alright, alright, there is no need to fight, I'm sure Hinata-chan has fallen for you too Kiba, and Shino, please, stop baiting for a fight, because he will take it!"

Shino 'hmph'ed and returned to his silent stare out the window. When seeing the boy in his arms calm down, Naruto released his hold on him, and Kiba returned to the opposite window, watching the other scenery play in quietness. Naruto sighed and addressed the redhead that was plugging his ears with his big headphones, oblivious to the near fight that would have occurred.

"Gaara. Oi!" Feeling helpless at not being heard, Naruto removed one headphone. "Gaara**.**"

A fine invisible brow was raised at him; the redhead killed his music and removed his headphones, "Yes? Was there something you needed?"

Naruto smiled and shook his head. "Nothing really, just felt like chatting with you. It's been a while since we'd last seen each other. Aren't…aren't you wondering where I've been?"

Gaara looked the fidgeting blond hard in the eyes. "No."

"Oh." Naruto felt his self crush a bit at the flat out reply. Sure he knew that Gaara didn't care a lot about people, but he, he didn't think of himself as people, but as a close friend. A friend that Gaara should feel worried about if he went missing for a whole week!

"Because I already know." Gaara continued upon seeing the disheartened look appear on Naruto's face.

Naruto felt his eyes widen and he swallowed the lump. "You know?"

"Yes. That night when you were brought to Neji's, I was there."

"Really? I…I didn't notice."

"That's because I left before you could see me, I wanted you to have the comfort you needed and not feel any pressure, knowing that I already know about the things you were hiding."

Before Naruto's brain could come up with a reply to Gaara's words, the car stopped moving and their lovely manger squeaked.

"Boys, we have arrived!"

Looking at the huge mansion and the big gates protecting it, both Naruto and Gaara stood in surprise. For this was the place both of them were speaking about.

* * *

"Huh? Sasuke isn't here?"

Neji nodded with his right hand stretched across his face checking his watch. "Yes. I informed him earlier of the changes that have taken place and emphasized on the time we start. He is awfully late!"

"Maybe something had him run late."

"Yes, which makes me more uneasy, Naruto, Sasuke is never late. I tried to phone him, but his cell is switched off. I don't want to think too hard about this, but this just ain't sitting right with me. I feel trouble coming."

Naruto brought the clean towel he was carrying close to his face and wiped the dripping sweat there off, shaking his head after trying to get rid of his tiredness and to think clearly. A frown swiftly appeared on his tired features when he processed the words being spoken to him.

"Why not call Itachi-onii-chan; I'm sure he knows where Sasuke is."

Neji waved his hands off, dismissing the idea altogether. "Nah, It's true I'm feeling a bit uneasy, but not that uneasy as to go off calling the head of the Uchiha family just because his baby brother missed a mere practice that he most probably doesn't even need."

"But…."

The raven released a sigh when he saw Naruto's face squeeze with worry that he'd unintentionally planted there. Almost groaning to himself, Neji ordered. "Just get back to practice before Tenten finds out you're here. And I'm sure I'm just reading too much into this, Sasuke is probably lazing off in a ditch somewhere, we have nothing to worry about."

Naruto nodded with his eyes relaxing a bit but with worry still defining their margins, Neji tried to muster his best encouraging smiles at him and called before the blond leaves his line of sight. "And Naruto,"

"Yes?"

"Watch your back."

Confused by the sudden words, Naruto had no time to question them before his raven senpai left the little break room he had followed a trying-to-escape-practice-Naruto into. Knotting his brows with additional worry, the blond made his way towards the court that was so generously given to them. It was one of Neji's special courts, and with open arms, he'd offered it to his teammates to use as much as they wanted 'till their own renewed. Getting close to the court, Naruto felt the mouse play inside his head.

Now that he thought about it, he hadn't spoken much to Sasuke since this day had begun. They had parted ways the previous night when Sasuke had left Kakashi's house apparently heading home and this morning, he'd seen him by the school gates but since the raven was rushing towards his class, Naruto didn't chat with him long. His brows knotted, and he switched his destination to the place where their stuff had been transported into.

Opening the door to the foreign room, Naruto locked eyes with his school bag. Walking with hurried steps towards it, he unzipped his front pocket and pulled out his cell, so soon his hands worked on the second number on his speed dial list. Sasuke's. His eyes became more concerned when the woman on the other hand told him how this number he was calling was out of service. Thinking swiftly, he browsed his contact list for the new name that he'd inserted a few days back.

One, two, three and the phone was hooked.

"Hello, how are you Itachi-onii-chan?" Smiling into the line, Naruto heard the calm voice reply to him. "That's good to hear. Umm…I'm sorry if I'm calling at a bad time but there is something I wanted to ask you about. Oh yes, yes…no, he's fine. Well, that depends actually…huh? No, Kakashi was wrong, I can make it this Sunday, no problem…no, it's not trouble at all; I'm free anyways…oh yeah! I wanted to ask you about Sasuke, I haven't seen him today, and Neji was saying how he'd missed practice, yes, our semi-finals are close, that's why he wanted Sasuke not to skip. Ooh, he's with you…won't be able…to come? Right, I understand…I'll tell him."

Before closing the phone, Naruto felt his heart jump a little at the way Itachi's voice seemed to get heavier by the end of their conversation and something warned red inside his brain. So, with gritted teeth and heart at the tip of his tongue, he asked.

"Itachi-onii-chan, I just have one more thing to ask you, is…is Sasuke alright?" There was a pregnant pause on the line, and Naruto felt the earth under him turn into a dark pit. The cell in his hands shook with his body and he forced his voice to work as to answer the man he was phoning. "…Ita-nii, can you please take me to where Sasuke is? I'll…be waiting."

Calmly, Naruto closed the line and took a deep breath into his lungs. Sasuke was alright. He was alright. His right hand was brought to hold his throbbing chest, and he bit his lower lip. Sasuke was going to be alright!

* * *

Naruto kept his mouth shut and his heart strong as he was escorted into the inside of the big private hospital. Guards were stationed at every door and he avoided the wondering gazes they were giving him. Holding tightly to his right arm, he listened attentively to the story that was being recited for him.

"It had happened today at one in the afternoon. Sasuke-sama was leaving the school parameters, we believe towards Mr. Hyuuga's household. And that's when he was shot." Sasori said as they made another turn, heading towards the elevators.

Naruto told his heart not to sink at the words and calmed his thoughts to focus on what's important. "D-Did you catch him? The person who s-shot Sasuke, I mean."

There was a pause as Sasori pressed the number to the private suite Sasuke was in, and Naruto had to wait until they exited the elevator for the professional eyes to focus on him.

"Yes, we have. He is in our custody. I'm ashamed to say this, but he is the same person who has abducted you, Deidara."

"Wait! You mean you weren't able to catch him the first time around!?"

"No. that has been done. But he broke out loose last night. We still have no solid idea as to why he has done such a foolish thing, but we won't save any power into finding out. The penalty for harming a future leader is very heavy in the family, and if Sasuke-sama is to die…"

Naruto bit his lips not wanting to hear the words or the continuation to that sentence.

"This way, Naruto-sama." Sasori guided them into a door that was made into the wall, Naruto was fascinated by the architecture's work and the hidden security that sure backed it up, but his fascination didn't last long as his heart began beating yet again when the door began to open. "You should know one thing before we enter,"

Looking with frightened eyes at the set of calm brown orbs, Naruto released from his mouth, "What?"

"Sasuke-sama's condition isn't very stable right now. Thankfully, Deidara is a poor shooter and so the bullet grazed close to his right eye, it resident itself in the space between the eye and the ear. We were able to take out the bullet before it caused him any more damage, but in order for us to do that, we had to insert Sasuke-sama into a medical-initiated-coma."

Naruto puckered his brows together. "What do you mean a medical-initiated-coma?"

"Exactly what it says. We shot down his senses and body functions. Of course, not entirely. You could say we reduced them to a minimum, a minimum that allows Sasuke-sama to live. But that came with a price, too. Sasuke-sama's body has fought back against our intrusion, but by doing so, it was fighting his life's chances, which rendered us in this unimaginable situation we are in now."

"And which situation you mean?"

"The life and death one. Sasuke-sama's life is hanged by a thread right now. And a very fine one at that."

Naruto stopped controlling his nerves and threw his calmness away. With pleasing eyes and trembling hands, he plugged himself on the older man's arm, wishing for answers that will relieve his mind. "But he _is_ still alive, right?!"

"Technically, yes. But if he doesn't wake up by this Wednesday, I'm afraid it would be a lost battle."

At the hidden words, Naruto backed away with a terrified look on his face, feeling his whole body shake to oblivion. "That's…t-that can't be."

Sasori put both his hands on Naruto's upper arms, steadying him and tightened his hold as he looked at the lost blue orbs through his elegant glasses.

"Naruto-sama, you can't be weak right now! He needs you to be strong, for both of your sakes! You have to be strong enough to call him back! He still has stuff to do in this world, he can't go, yet! And I'm afraid if he were to pass away, the souls that would be crushed wouldn't just be his own! So, please, be strong!"

Naruto really did want to cry, shout and act like a madman, just like when his father has done so after losing his mother. But…Sasori was showing his desperation and he felt the light of courage being lit inside his soul. Sasuke…if he wanted to bring Sasuke back, he couldn't act like a child. He had to be a man. A man able to hold both of them from falling when one wasn't able to.

Forcing his fears to hide deep inside his heart, Naruto nodded to him.

"I will, Sasori-san. Thank you."

Sasori gave a nod and removed his hands from Naruto's arms to fix his glasses. "You don't have to; I've said it for my own selfish reasons, 'cause if Sasuke-Sama were to die, I'd lose the person who is keeping me alive 'till now. And that's something I cannot accept."

Naruto blinked at him and at the meaning those words held. But not wanting to be questioned, Sasori clicked the door they were walking to open fully providing Naruto with a deep look as to what lay inside.

A tired looking Itachi was sitting beside a wide bed with a bandaged looking raven sprayed on it. Naruto made his way slowly inside, afraid that if he were to run towards Sasuke right now, the raven would vanish from his sight. The only sound that echoed was that of the medical devices placed to help Sasuke stay alive. Sasori bowed to his master and closed the door after walking out, allowing the three some privacy.

Itachi stood from the place he was sitting on and offered a small welcoming smile to the fidgeting blond; stretching a kind hand to Naruto which he took without a second thought, Naruto was guided closer.

"He…He looks like he's sleeping."

Itachi allowed Naruto to replace him on the chair beside Sasuke. "That's because he is."

Sasuke's body was covered by a white blanket and a white hospital gown was finely hugging his skin, Naruto noted how his skin colour looked totally off. It made his paleness paler than usual and he didn't like it. To portray the divine being that lit up his life with happiness as a dying man, he didn't like that one bit. A sole bandage was placed on Sasuke's head, tightly wrapped to help the wound inside heal without any complications; Naruto couldn't see right, but from what he could make out, Sasuke's beautiful silky hair had all been shaved.

A sting at not being able to pet the smooth darkness once again stabbed his heart. Naruto had to stretch his hand and grasp Sasuke's, jolting so unnoticeably at how cold it was.

"Even though he is still alive, why is his hand so cold?"

Itachi ruffled the golden locks and answered with his eyes appearing more tired than ever. "Because his blood is circulating close to the heart and only a little goes to the tips, his hands and feet would turn cold. But, we can always warm them up."

Naruto nodded and sat staring at the lifeless body before him. "Itachi-onii-chan, can I have a minute alone with Sasuke?"

Itachi nodded and began walking towards the door. "Sure thing. If you need anything or anything new was to update in his condition, feel free to call or press that button over there, the nurses will rush over in a second."

Naruto gave the long haired raven a swift smile and watched him stride out. As soon as he felt alone with his other half, Naruto leaned forward and gave the cold lips a chaste kiss. A sad smile planted on his lips.

"Your lips have never been so cold, Sasuke."

The blond felt his heart squeeze in pain, and so slowly, he removed his sneakers and got inside the warm covers, putting a soft arm around Sasuke's waist, Naruto placed his head beside the unconscious one and in a soft whimper said.

"Just this once…let me be weak just this once, I promise, tomorrow…I'll be strong…so, just this once, pretend that you don't see me, Sasuke."

And silent crystal tears slid down the rosy flushed cheeks.

* * *

Naruto threw the towel to the bench and got back into the heated fight. It was their first semi-final game and true to their expectations, the guys playing in the semi-finals were nothing like the small fries they have fought off against earlier on. But he wasn't planning on losing anytime soon, either. At the signal, he passed the ball to Shikamaru, who calculated the situation in his mind, then threw the ball to the carefree Gaara so he could score them a three pointer.

A successful ball brought them their energy back and they had to prepare for their defence now. The guy marking Naruto kept on giving him nasty comments to dishearten him and make him increase the amount of fouls that he had accumulated already, but biting his lips, Naruto was determined not to make them get to him and to successfully break free from his hold.

But breaking free wasn't that easy, he has already made up three fouls; every time he tried to set a basket in, he was being blocked severely by the iron wall that was marking him. Naruto felt himself slowly being smothered by the perfect defence.

He cursed when he heard his number being exchanged for Lee and, with an angry scowl, headed towards the woman who robbed him of his joy.

"Why did you bench me?!"

Tenten sighed and slapped him straight on the face with a cold towel. "Learn how to focus properly on the game then demand your position back, you wild animal!"

Naruto's scowl deepened but he sat down and glared at the world, this was so unfair, they were already in crucial time, and they needed him the most now with Sasuke gone, he had to fill the void, benching him now was like declaring their loss with a white flag!

Thin long fingers came to raise his bended head and open his eyes wide to what was really going on around him. Tenten's voice resonated inside his ear.

"Look carefully at the game, Naruto. Notice the one who was marking you very well. And focus on his movement. You will not do us any good if you keep on trying to break through without understanding your opponent's techniques."

Reluctant to what she said, Naruto stubbornly tried to obey. He started with letting go of his frustration first and then putting a one hundred percent focus into the other player's movement. As he did so, his eyes slowly grew wider as a sudden revolution came to him having now witnessed the game in a different perspective than the one he used to witness with.

With the shock still in his system, Naruto exclaimed. "Those…those are my moves!"

"Technically, no. They are the reverse of your moves. Seems like he studied you well, and constructed a perfect plan as to block your entire movement."

"But how?! I haven't participated in any games this season!"

"Yes, but you have in former years, since you were in Middle School. He got your information from old archives. Naruto, your strong point is that you rely on your basics a lot and you were able to enter into our team with it. But, you still haven't developed, yet. And your game stands still, unfortunately, standing still won't help you with any future opponents, you need to improve."

Naruto clenched his hands. "But I have been practicing none stop! He can't just beat me with my old moves!"

Tenten released her hold on his right shoulder and smiled down at her player. "And I think so, too. You have a hidden talent in you. Right now, when you get back into the court, stop thinking about winning, think of how you can beat him. 'Cause right now, he represents your old self. And if you were unable to beat that, to top that, then I'm afraid there will be no room for you to improve. And your hidden talent will remain hidden."

Naruto knotted his brows, calculating what could happen if he failed this fight with his old self. "But if I lost and we wound up not winning this gam-"

"We will!" Filled with a burst of enthusiasm, Tenten slapped him on the back as she signalled the referee an exchange. "Have faith in your teammates, Naruto!"

Walking away, Naruto gave her a small nod and started fixing the patch in his hand. Hitting his cheeks to clear up all his confusion and doubt, he flared with fighting spirit on the face of the man representing his past. It was time to prove his foothold in High School Basketball, and to let the other teams know just who Uzumaki Naruto was.

* * *

The team members bid each other goodbye as they packed their stuff into their places, each heading in their own directions. They'd won the game –with some difficulty since their Ace was not on board–and their next would be in three days' time. Gaara parted away from Neji when the raven's limousine parked to take him home, and ran to catch the disappearing form of Naruto before he could step on the bus ride home.

"Yo," Gaara greeted with a smack to Naruto's back. "That was a good game over there."

Smiling at his dear friend, Naruto nodded feeling a bit proud to be able to beat his old self's ass. "Yeah, I think so, too."

"So? Care to tell me what that personal feud you had with number eleven was all about?"

"Nothing really, I was just given a chance to open my eyes to a new world, and I took it."

Gaara nodded to Naruto's words and let them bask in the light of winning for a few more minutes before he asked the only thing that was on his mind these days.

"Naruto, are you alright?"

The blue orbs widened for a bit then Naruto looked with a faraway smile to the sky. "I'm not sure how to answer to that yet, Gaara. I eat, exercise, go to class, and practice basketball. Medically, I couldn't be better. But somehow, I feel more like a walking dead than alive."

"Is it because of Sasuke?"

Naruto's eyes drained from any life and his voice grew a bit hallow. "I believe in him. I know he will wake up one day. Even though they said he'd die if he didn't wake up by that Wednesday, he didn't, he continued to live. That's why I trust that – against their words, he'll wake up for me, I believe in Sasuke."

A soft hand ruffled his golden locks and Naruto gave a tired smile to the teen beside him.

"It's alright to be tired, don't try to force yourself to play if you don't want to, we all will understand and no one will blame you."

"That may be true, but if I don't have something to distract my mind with, I'll keep on thinking about Sasuke's condition all day long, and I'm just not that strong to."

Gaara grabbed Naruto's wrist and looked him straight in the eyes with a heat that the blond hadn't seen lit inside his friend for as long as he'd known him. "Naruto, if there was a way to save Sasuke, and I'm not guarantying it to work, but if there is a chance it would, and there was a way, to save him…are you prepared to take it? No matter what the consequences may be?"

Naruto's heart fluttered at the words, and he felt the tips of his fingers freeze. "W-What kind of way?"

"Let's say it's a medication, close to conventional medicine. Would you take it? Ignoring all the consequence that may arise?"

"Consequences? Will these consequences make him worse than he is now?"

"I don't know. But it's dangerous. I myself will not try it except in desperate situations. And I'm not advising you to, but, it's my duty as a friend to list you all of your options and sadly, this is the only way I can be of any use to you."

The way Gaara's face twitched into a self-loathing grimace made Naruto plant a gentle smile on his face. And just then did the realization of how worried his red haired friend was over him come to light. Telling himself to think right about this and not to make any hasty decisions, Naruto clearly said.

"I will need a few more days to think about this, Gaara. I have to see it with Itachi-onii-chan too and see what he thinks about it. But I'll give you a reply as soon as I can."

Gaara released a breath of air he didn't know he was holding and let go of Naruto's wrist, relieved that he could at least provide his friend a solution that will stop that helpless look inside his blue eyes. "Alright, and on my part, I'll speak to that person, too."

"That person?"

"The doctor who can help Sasuke, I still haven't spoken with her and I need to know she is willing to help out if you and Sasuke's brother agree to her assistance."

"Oh."

They started walking again and soon, they came to stand beside the bus stop. They didn't have to wait long for the bus that always took Naruto home to arrive. Before getting on it and bidding his friend goodbye, Naruto gave the redhead a tight hug in which a soft 'thank you for worrying about me' was whispered into Gaara's right ear.

Gaara waved the blond away with a tiny smile of his own and returned his hands to their rightful position on the inside of his pants' pockets as a black limousine pulled over in front of him. The back door automatically opened and a grinning Neji held his hands to invite his boyfriend inside. Relying on instinct, Gaara took hold of the cold hand and spared the door behind him a glance as it closed automatically. Neji joyfully signalled his chuffer to continue on driving.

"Your place or mine?"

"Mine," Neji breathed. "We can't play in your place. Too many people."

"I'm not in the mood for playing right now, Neji."

"Sure you are! We've won! It's our celebration night, I'm sure you're not thinking of wasting it."

Directing sincerely tired jade orb at the raven, Gaara hoped his love saw just how worn out he was. Neji was taken aback by the sudden weariness he was seeing and his lilac orbs widened slightly alongside the flutter that left his heart without his permission.

"I'm truly tired, Neji. Just…"

Before he could come to request it, protective arms circled around his pale neck drawing him closer to the soft heat. Gaara let himself be comforted for once and relaxed into the wonderful aroma of his love.

"I told him, about her…about Tsunade."

Not letting the name threaten him like it had always done, Neji replied. "It was meant to happen sooner or later, if they seriously want to get Sasuke out of his own hell, they need her."

"But she is very dangerous, what if her treatment does more harm than good? Naruto would never forgive me if that was to happen."

Neji planted a soft kiss on his boyfriend's head, trying to ease his worries. "That's why it's their decision to make, not ours."

The face he was cradling rose so slowly into his vision and pleading eyes faced him, Neji's heart throbbed once more.

"What if…what if you were the one lying on that bed instead of Sasuke, what would I do?"

Neji cupped those cheeks he loved so much and his mouth spread into a comforting smile. "That's something you should never think about; I'm here and will never go anywhere. I'll always be beside you, I promised you this since we were three, didn't I? That the only way you are to get rid of me is if I am to die. And even after, I'll keep watching over you."

"I…I wouldn't bear it if you died and left me behind, I'm sure I'd follow you without hesitation. That's why; I'll be the one to die before you."

Neji stopped resisting his desires and closed his mouth on Gaara's in a hard clash of lips. He pulled away only after he made sure that any further business would make him unable to get through the night without some sexual intercourse.

"I'm flattered, babe. But if you were to go before me, I would make sure to bring you back; I'd sacrifice everything I have for that purpose. This body, no, this soul is worthless if I'm not with you."

"Neji…"

"Besides, if you were ever placed into Sasuke's condition and there was a way, even a one in a million chance that you'd to be saved, I'd take it, no matter what money I need to pay, what status I'd have to throw, I'd take it. And even if you were given to me with only one leg or one arm. I'd be happy."

Suddenly Neji was thrown into the soft leather of his own limousine seat, with a flushed looking Gaara straddling him. The long haired beauty smirked at the bulge that was rubbing against his thigh.

"Sorry, Neji. But forget about my former words, I need you right now!"

Grinning like a kid in a candy shop, Neji opened up himself for the later and took out the hard member of his boyfriend for air, with a luscious smile, he let go of his self-control and welcomed the pleasurable heat that he lusted over since he saw Gaara' amazing performance earlier in the game.

* * *

Naruto felt a warm hand shake him to wake up; startled, he lifted his exhausted head from the hard wood and gazed with huge eyes at the man before him.

"What time is it!?" He hoarsely asked.

"It's four. And no," Iruka held his son's hand before the blond could dash from his seat on the living room table, "you don't have to rush into practice; I told them you won't be able to come today."

Naruto's eyes pleaded to his father. "But why? I don't see any reason why I shouldn't be attending the practice."

"I do, you need to stay home today and rest."

"That I can't do, I can't skip on this practice, Iruka, tomorrow we'll be having our second semi-final game, you know how important that is!"

"And I know how important your health is! Naruto, just take a look at yourself, you hardly sleep, hardly touch your food, you practice day and night and even though I'm very happy that you're paying attention to your school work, I don't want to see you doing it this way. You're killing yourself!"

Naruto flinched at his guardian's words. He wanted to argue that he wasn't all that tired but the yawn that left his mouth and the way his fingers chose to rub at his sleepy eyes to remove the dizziness away and have him able to hold a decent conversation with Iruka, had him shrug that idea away.

A sigh echoed from Iruka's lips and he pushed a cup of hot coffee into Naruto's hands. "Here, drink this. You need it."

"Coffee?" Naruto wrinkled his nose in disgust. "I hate coffee."

"I know, but it's the best thing for you right now. Just drink it, you won't die."

Nodding with a sigh, Naruto started pouring the hot beverage inside his throat. "Yuck."

"You'll get used to the taste. Now, Naruto," A warm hand found its way to his right hand. "I know you're worried and want to keep yourself busy as not to think of Sasuke-kun's situation, but the way you're going on about this will kill you. You two have been good friends for a while now, but do you think he'll be happy to see you waste away like this because of him?"

Naruto put the cup of coffee down and glanced at it. "It's the only thing I can do, I can't help him medically, can't pay for any pills he needs or the devices that help him survive, so the best thing I can do is to at least bring the championship title to him."

"But it's not right to practice all the time, your body will crumble."

"No, it won't. I've maintained a degree of stamina, nothing will happen to me."

Iruka rolled his eyes. "And the proof is that you've been sleeping here since yesterday night. A whole day and a half, sleeping with your head on hard wood and your legs on the carpet, in a very uncomfortable position."

Naruto shrugged. "It wasn't that uncomfortable."

Iruka ignored his son's stubbornness. "It's extremely uncomfortable, but since your body was awfully tired, you didn't notice."

"That's…" Thinking of an excuse but failing miserably, Naruto let his sentence remain unfinished.

Iruka sighed again moving closer to his son and addressing him in a soft voice. "Naruto, I'm not telling you not to play basketball altogether, but, just be moderate and think of your health first. I know Sasuke-kun's condition is hell for you to think about, but if anything bad were to happen to you, I don't know if I can survive it, so please, I'm begging you son, take care of yourself."

Naruto felt his eyes release the hidden frustration he was penning for two weeks and a half when he saw those compassionate eyes, the ones you can only get from a dear family member, filled with understanding and absolute love no matter what, look back at him. He placed the mug of coffee on the wooden table and threw himself on Iruka, giving the man a well-deserved hug.

"I'm sorry, Iruka. I'll try not to do it again."

Iruka hugged back smiling that his son has finally understood that driving his body to its death wasn't the best way to help his sick friend. "That's all I'm asking, and for now, just go back to your own room and try to get a good rest."

Naruto nodded and let go of the warmth. "I will."

Kissing his son on the forehead, Iruka stood up, taking the half-finished mug of coffee alongside his to the kitchen and watched as Naruto picked up his ringing cell before he headed up the stairs to his room. The brunette turned his head back to the cups; he washed, rinsed, and put them into the cupboard. Drying his hands on the towel he used. Iruka heard the sound of something hitting the ground.

Running to see what has happened, he found Naruto standing with a frozen form shaking from his head to his toe. Iruka came to get a hold of the blond and asked him with freaking out eyes.

"Naruto! What happened!?"

Dead eyes face him and muffled tears rolled down from the frozen orbs.

Iruka shook the already shaken teen to his senses. "What's wrong!? Who was that call from!? Naruto!"

They were only two little words, but they nailed Iruka to the ground with absolute shock.

"Sasuke…died."

Naruto's body gave up on him and he fell hitting the ground hard, forcing Iruka to awake from his own shock and help his fainted boy up.

"_Hello, Naruto-sama, are you there…? Naruto-sama…hey!_" A mechanical voice echoed from the forgotten cell.

Iruka's attention was brought to the cell and he picked up the line gently to his ears. "Yes, I'm not Naruto, I'm his father. I'm afraid Naruto cannot continue with the conversation right now…is it true that Sasuke-kun has died?"

A sigh came from the other line and then the calm voice replied. "_Yes, for a moment there we'd lost him, but I was informed that the doctors were able to successfully bring him back, this time around. But there are no guarantees for next time…_"

Iruka felt like a weight has been taken off of his heart, he smiled into the line and looked with sad eyes at the passed out teen.

"Thank you for telling me. I'd be sure to inform him as soon as he wakes up. Yes, goodbye."

The line went dead with that and Iruka put one hand under Naruto's head while the other was under the jeans-ed legs then so smoothly, carried the blond up to his bed, hoping that Naruto's conscious wasn't too ruffled with the false alarm to allow him some peace and a much needed rest.

* * *

Naruto placed his lips on top of Sasuke's cold ones and gave him a deep emotional kiss, releasing all emotions into it and hoping for it to reach Sasuke's current darkness. His hands brushed momentarily on the fuzz of hair that was growing on Sasuke's head and then descended softly to grasp the cold hands.

"Sasuke, I have news to tell you, today, we're taking you to try a different treatment, I'm not sure if it will work or not, but I'm putting my faith into it, and wishing for the best. I know it's selfish of me to force my wishes on you and force you to wake up when you obviously don't want to, but…parting from you is just too hard for me to bear. So hold tight, okay? And come back to me."

Naruto planted another kiss on Sasuke's forehead and drew back when he heard the door to the room he was in crack open.

"Naruto-sama, it is time." Sasori resounded from behind him.

Smiling at the intruder, Naruto nodded with a faint smile. "I told you to stop with the _'sama'_ we are all equals here."

"And I said I cannot. You have a high position inside the family, and it won't do to address you as anything less. Anyhow, we are running out of time. Please move aside so they can transport Sasuke-sama to his place of treatment."

Scowling at not being able to lessen the distance between him and Sasori, Naruto moved indicating his approval with a final kiss to the cold hands in his grasp. Men clothed in white soon came inside the room, it all happened in a flash; forcing Naruto to stop his eyes from dizzying and focus on Sasuke's body. In a few minutes, the raven was placed inside a container with devices hooked to it. Frowning at where his friend was being positioned, Naruto made a notion to object in which Sasori had stopped him before.

"I know it's unbefitting, but it's the best mean to transport him in his current condition. Please, don't interfere."

Naruto's fighting spirit disappeared slowly and he nodded obediently. "Will we be able to see him?"

"As Neji-san has clarified, our contact will be with Tsunade-sensei. She will explain everything that will happen to Sasuke-sama**.**"

"Wait, you mean no one discussed Sasuke's condition with her and you'd just let her have him?!"

Sasori fixed the glasses on his face and started walking, indicating for the blond to follow him. "Of course that's impossible, Itachi-sama had done so, he wouldn't have given his precious little brother to someone he has doubts about. And since he agreed, it really must be the best option there is for Sasuke-sama right now. You should be glad to enlighten that option for us to see."

"Hum…if it's so assuring, why do I feel like throwing up then?"

"That's because you, Naruto-sama, have no solid comprehension as to what will be done to Sasuke-sama, nor the consequences that are awaiting him."

"But we are going right now to where she is, right? I mean you're taking me back to Sasuke, aren't you?"

Sasori bowed apologetically as they exited the grand hospital into a black car. "I'm afraid I won't be able to escort you further, you see today the family will have to decide on what shall be done to Deidara, and I have to attend."

"Huh? Deidara…the one who shot Sasuke?"

"Yes, that's why I have to be present or I believe he will get a poor defence."

Naruto frowned not liking what he is hearing. "But you said they wouldn't hurt him if Sasuke is safe."

"That was the plan, but when Sasuke-sama's condition deteriorated a few days back, he was given the death penalty, it was removed as Sasuke-sama was brought back to life though. Yet now, they think it will not do to link his situation to Sasuke-sama's since," Sasori sent a compassionate smile to the blond. "They think that Sasuke-sama's condition may extend for years without him waking up, so today they will decide on Deidara's fate."

Naruto bit his lips and released his frustration onto the car beside him. "That's no good! They can't kill him since he didn't kill Sasuke!"

"I feel the same way, and I know I'm asking a lot of you by saying this, but please, try to forgive him, Deidara isn't a bad person, he just has an awfully bad luck, and that bad luck has stuck with him ever since he was little letting him give his loyalty to the bad crowd. If possible, I don't want him to lose his life over the bad decisions that he's made; there are other ways for redemption."

The golden teen let the words sink in for a bit and then he took the refined gloved hands into his own, speaking with an understanding tone. "Sasori-san, is he your friend?"

Sasori was startled for a bit but nodded with a small smile. "Something like that."

"Is he the person you wanted to save?"

Nodding, the small smile widened a fraction. "Deidara has a bad habit of doing stupid things when he gets scared, 'm sure him following after Danzo, your kidnapping, and this incident with Sasuke-sama were just done because he was too scared to think, allowing bad people to influence his right judgment and place him as their scapegoat. I can't forgive that. To sully him like that and make him go against his nature, I can't let it go like that."

"But, Itachi-onii-chan has already gotten rid of the bad people, the ones who are left are the good guys, do you plan to fight them, too?"

Sasori removed Naruto's hands from his own and pushed the blond's body into the car. "Right now, you shouldn't think about that. Sasuke-sama is waiting for you. Go to him, go and see for your eyes what will be done to him. And please don't mind yourself with what may happen to me or not. I'll do what I need to do, and you do what you need to do, that's all."

With eyes filled with silent farewell, Naruto was sent away. As the car began rolling, the only thing that kept on repeating inside Naruto's head was his wish for whatever Sasori had in mind to succeed, and for that lonely heart-breaking look that always hunted his cloudy brown eyes to simply disappear without a trace.

* * *

He bit hard on his lower lips 'till he could taste blood seeping into his mouth and his hands hurt from hitting the thick glass, but Naruto knew that whatever pain he was withstanding, it couldn't compare to Sasuke's right now. Another jolt of electricity mixed with the glowing green substance was shot into Sasuke's brain and nerves system, and like the prior four times, his body arched again causing the blond to claw at his own hands.

This was his price, the price he needed to pay in order to bring Sasuke back. He had to watch as life was shot into Sasuke over and over again, until the body before him started to wrench with pain. As he watched the torture play in front of him, Naruto wished to replace his own body with Sasuke's and not let his other half undergo such a pain filled treatment. But he couldn't and he stood helplessly watching as another jolt ran through Sasuke's body, making Sasuke's legs move frantically.

"This is inhuman! You're torturing him!" Naruto shouted at the blond haired woman.

She flipped her pigtails at him and raised the degree for the treatment. "No, I'm not. I'm fixing him. You brought him here for that reason."

"But look at him! He is in pain!"

"Pain is good, means that he is responding."

"You're killing him! He can't take all that pain!"

The woman put a leg over the other and smirked at Naruto. "Nice to see you have faith in your friend's willpower."

Naruto bit his bleeding lip again, and the small river he'd cut was slowly turning into a sea; he hit the glass separating them once more.

"Isn't there another way to help him?"

"No. His body is alright, heartbeats are normal and, theoretically, he should be up and kicking, yet he isn't, he is hanging between life and death, and no treatment is helping him, was it because of the coma those idiotic doctors have placed him in?" She rhetorically asked as her hands worked with the big computer she was handling. "Perhaps, but he should emerge from it by now. Yet, he isn't, he is still sinking further into a non-existent illness. Then the problem is clear, if the body is well, then the problem is with the conscious, and thus the brain."

Naruto closed his eyes as the green light emitting from the device lit the room. "Then…you're treating his brain right now?"

"Hmmm…I doubt a normal teen would understand the complexity of the process I'm doing even if I took years out of my busy life to explain it, but to simplify it to you, no, I'm not fixing his brain, since it's not broken. I'm simply putting the lost pieces of the puzzle together, 'm helping his brain re-operate."

"Re-operate? Then he will wake up?"

"Chances for that are seventy five to twenty five, in favour of him not waking up, of course."

His eyes went wild at her words. "You mean you're making him taste hell for a small chance like that!?"

"His brother seemed to think of it as a very big chance, though."

"This is ridiculous!"

"But your last resort, nonetheless."

Naruto felt the blood inside his mouth pile up so much that he had to spit it into the trashcan provided on the protected room. He felt the anger he was harbouring evaporate into self-hatred. It was all his fault; if he hadn't followed after Deidara, if he didn't force Sasuke to save him and act against his family, then Sasuke wouldn't have been shot and they wouldn't be put under a test this hard.

He started the bad habit of biting his lower lip and it began bleeding again.

"I advise you to stop that before you wake up one day and find out that you've chewed your lower lip and it's gone."

"Shut it, old hag," He mumbled under his breath. "And mind your own business."

"Should you be speaking this way to the one holding the hand over your precious friend's body?"

Naruto felt a bit hesitant and when Sasuke's body started arching again, he knew that he'd have to lose the attitude.

"I understand! Stop tormenting him already!"

And Sasuke's body returned back to the bed he was being placed in.

"You should know that I'm not a bad woman, I just appreciate respect, and remember, it wasn't I who came asking you to let me treat him, it was you who came asking for my help. So, be respectful and keep watch."

Her words were sharp and absolute; Naruto had nothing to do but nod at them, for after all, she was the one holding Sasuke's life by the skin of his neck.

"C-Can't I go over there to him? Just to hold his hands?"

The thick glass shined to remind him of the barrier separating them. Tsunade shook her head in an obvious refusal.

"The radiation over there mixed with hydroelectric energy is very dangerous. Your body will fall ill to it right away. You have to stay in here if you want to watch."

"But doesn't that mean that Sasuke also will be in danger?"

"No, I've injected his body with a medication that will help him withstand the pressure, but I'll have to renew the dosage every five hours." Tsunade scratched her head, apparently not welcoming the extended work hours. "Such a bother."

Naruto closed his eyes and gritted his teeth as Sasuke's hands started arching alongside his back. And he prayed, for whatever god was hearing him up there, to save Sasuke's life and not let him get sucked into the afterlife in such a pitiful way.

* * *

"I'm tough, so stop worrying about me, Sakura. Today will be the last day for Sasuke's therapy; yes…she said that his body can't take any more pressure than this. And if he does any more therapy, he'll break…I told you, I'm fine," Naruto smiled into the line as the car he was in made another turn. "Yeah, I may not come to school tomorrow so could you like write my notes for me? Thanks Sakura, you're the best! Yeah, I'm keeping a strong heart, after all, it won't do if I were to start weeping on the spot…hahaha…yes, yes, love you, too, bye."

Naruto closed his cell with that and the driver signalled him to step down, since they had arrived. Getting out of the car, Naruto walked inside the magnificent laboratory with hopeful eyes. This was his sixth visit by now, and according to Tsunade-sensei, this would be the last one. He made the familiar turns that his body came to memorize by heart and with each step he took, he felt his breath hitch and his heart throb.

He'd worn his best outfit for meeting Sasuke today and yes, he hated to admit it, but he was dancing on clouds. Tsunade did tell him not to get his hopes high, but how could he not?! On their third therapy session, Sasuke's hands clasped onto his! They'd moved on their own and clasped his! Wasn't that like a magnificent performance?!

Naruto calmed his breath since he was sure he looked like an excited fool to anyone that would walk by and clicked the door to the room he came to love open, a tired looking scientist glared at him.

"What are you so happy and grinning about? It's disgusting!"

"Sasuke will wake up today, I can feel it!"

The doctor sighed and returned to her work, clicking away on her compute. "Wow, the world would be a very boring and simple place if everyone were to have your optimism."

"Hehehe…so, how is he doing?"

Tsunade snapped back into her seat and cracked her fingers. "We're just about to see, pay attention Naruto that today is his last session. If it didn't help, then I have no idea what he has and it would be best to let him just die." She shrugged, uninterested.

Even though dread came crawling at his back threatening to kill his happiness and snatch it away, Naruto refused to let it do so and continued grinning with heat-filled eyes at her.

"He won't! He'll wake up today! I know it!"

"Hn, we'll see."

She let the electricity run through Sasuke's body and Naruto winced at the violent shake the other was withstanding. It took them one hour in after Tsunade had shut everything that was connected to Sasuke and placed him in a cleansing room for three more hours. Naruto sat waiting in the grand room that was prepared for Sasuke when he finishes his treatment, with excited eyes.

The door to the luxurious room was opened and three men rolled a still unconscious Sasuke inside, Naruto smiled and let them place his friend on the bed. He nodded at them as they started heading out closing the door behind them.

"Hi there," He softly called the sleeping raven and took hold of Sasuke's right hand planting a soft kiss on it. "I missed you dearly."

No answer came from the body resting in front of him, but Naruto refused to let it bother him and started massaging Sasuke's cheeks gently.

"I believe in you, and I know you'll wake up today, so honour my words, Uchiha, and open those beautiful eyes I have longed to see for a while now."

There was no further moment and before Naruto's spirit could hit the ground, the door cracked open revealing a refreshed looking Tsunade. The woman marched inside with the fresh smell of soup all over her.

"Still hasn't awakened?"

"No, but he will."

"Hmmm…if my calculations are correct, he should have been awake for a while now. You realize that I can't do anything more to him if he doesn't wake?"

"Yes, you've made that perfectly clear over these few days!" Naruto barked at her.

The big-boobed woman smirked at him. "So, you _were _listening…and here I thought you were nothing but an annoying optimistic brat."

"Who is a brat, you damn hag!"

"You, boy. And stop shouting so early in the morning, it's too girly." She said as she started hooking another device to monitor Sasuke's heartbeats and the blood circulation inside his systems.

Naruto had a retort ready but when he saw how keen she was at handling Sasuke's body, he decided to let her off the hook for now at least. Tsunade finished up the work she came to do and with a nasty remark towards Naruto's choice of clothes, she left the room going to inform the man paying her of his brother's condition as she had said.

The blond returned his hands into engulfing Sasuke's and sat beside him with a sweet smile on his lips.

"Sasuke, there's something good I gotta to tell you, we've successfully qualified into the finals. The semi-finals were hard battles, but we managed through. Now everyone just wants you to come back and enter the finals together with us."

The cold hands holding his didn't even twitch at the news, Naruto felt his smile flutter for a moment but he buckled up his courage again.

"I…I miss you, Sasuke, very much. I miss your voice, your nasty cold attitude, your passionate kisses and the way you'd always hold me so tightly," Naruto brushed a hand over Sasuke's lips, hoping for them to part and lick his fingers as they'd done so many times before. "I tried my hardest these past weeks to go on without you, and even though I was tired, I didn't give up. But Sasuke, I'm at the end of my rope here, I can't muster any more courage, I don't even think I have any left. So please, open your eyes and look at me."

Softly, his eyes released the warm water and it so tenderly rolled down his rounded cheeks, hitting Sasuke's face in a quiet twinkle. Naruto shook his head and started wiping his tears, kicking himself mentally for releasing them in the first place; he shouldn't have been acting like this. Sasuke was still fighting, and he couldn't give up on him. Two lives were hanging by a thread linked to Sasuke and he wasn't about to just let them die.

Naruto closed his eyes as the flood of tears became a bit too much, he let go of Sasuke's hand and started ruffling the nearby drawer for tissues to wipe the tears that made their way into Sasuke's face with. Happy to find a box, Naruto got it out and turned back to his raven friend just in time to have his heart skip a beat.

"W…water."

Throwing the box in his hands, Naruto ran towards the bottles of water beside Sasuke's bed, he forced his hands to stop shaking and for his heart to function again and circulate blood enough to his brain to work. Slowly he tried pouring the water steadily into the clean glass for Sasuke to drink.

Naruto helped the black eyed teen into a sitting position and placed the water glass on his lips. "Here, drink."

Sasuke was only able to drink a little then pushed the glass away from his face. "Thanks, that's enough."

The blond nodded and put the glass back on the table, he swallowed hard and took a good look at the man sitting with blank eyes looking ahead of him. His heart told him that there was something wrong, but before he could question and start on digging further another problem, his body acted on its own and threw himself at Sasuke.

A startled noise left Sasuke's mouth in which Naruto was too busy burying his tears into Sasuke's chest to notice.

"Sasuke! Sasuke! Oh, Sasuke!"

Sasuke remained silent for a moment and then he put both his hands on Naruto's hands and felt his way towards the other's lips. A sincere smile left his mouth when sensing a watery liquid coming in touch with his fingers.

"Naruto."

Slowly, he was taken into a soft kiss; Naruto kissed back and tried not to force his emotions on the still recovering raven. So, he moved back after a little kissing with a bright smile on his lips. "Welcome back, Sasuke."

"I'm back."

Naruto pushed himself away and wiped his tears, he signalled to the door by his hands. "I…I need to go tell them you're awake!"

And the delight in his voice didn't go undetected. But a pale hand stopped him; Naruto knotted his brows into a question for the reason why he was stopped and the reason Sasuke's eyes seemed to still look ahead of him, never linking with his own heated gaze. The small doubt that something wrong was coming, started cracking the happy shell Naruto engulfed himself in.

"Naruto, I'm about to tell you something, but you have to be cool and keep your calm."

His eyes started on widening and his heart quickened, preparing him. "What?"

A pale hand came to rest on one blank eye and Sasuke released in a stern pained tone.

"I can't see."

Suddenly, Naruto felt his happiness shatter completely and the sound of cruel fate snicker evilly at him as his ground turned pitch black. Just like Sasuke's vision.

* * *

**So? What do you think? I honestly, like this chapter the best so far! :D I like how everything has turned out, and I know some of you might be confused as hell, but you just have to wait for the next chapter to un-confuse yourselves xD. Thanks for reading; I'll be waiting for your reviews! **


	11. Chapter Eleven

**Author's Notes:**

**Oh, my lovely reviewers! I love you all so very much! Thank you for the amazing words and the comments! I had fun reading them all, and I'm glad that you all have liked the previous chapter. Now, I'd wish this chapter meets your expectations as the last one did, and thanks a million to my lovely Beta, XxDreaming of RealityxX, for her wonderful work! I'll leave you now to the story, enjoy~**

* * *

"Are these the consequences you were talking about?" Naruto muttered under gritted teeth.

Tsunade flashed the lights in her hands straight into Sasuke's right eye, estimating the amount of the damage made to it and spared a glance to the blond sitting with the weight of the world on his shoulders. She ignored his muttering and flashed Sasuke's other eye.

"Blink for me, please."

She checked again, and then returned the mini-light into her lab coat's pocket, fixing her hair; she put a hand under her chin, trying to collect her scattered thoughts together.

"Hey! Don't just keep quiet! What's wrong with him!?"

She rolled her eyes at the impatient child and decided to give him a bite. "In all honesty, I'm unable to provide you with a definite answer right now. I'll have to further examine his eyes and I think it would be best if an Ophthalmologist was to work with me here; since the eyes aren't really my field of expertise."

"Then, could it be the effect of the treatment you've done to him?"

Tsunade frowned. "A possibility, but according to his medical history, his eyes were already going bad. Perhaps his incident alongside my treatment have just provided into hurrying the process."

"N-No way…he still had time, that can't happen!"

"Well, it did. But, as I said, I can't give a firm diagnosis 'till further research has been done. Anything else would be nothing less than a mindless speculation."

"Then there _is_ a possibility that your treatment was the cause?!"

Tsunade turned around, placed her hands on her hips and glared at the teen blaming her. "Listen here you, yes it's a possibility, but for the millionth time, you brought him to me because you had no other option and, as far as I can see, you wanted me to wake his ass up, and he is up! So, stop blaming me for doing the job I was hired for!"

"I…" Naruto clenched his hands and punched the couch he was sitting on. "It's not fair!"

"Fair or not, him losing his sight has been triggered by something, and our job right now is to know that something and find out if this blindness is just a side effect that will disappear in a few days or a permanent one." Tsunade sighed in order to control her nerves and remind herself that this was nothing more than a child in fear of losing someone important to him, and hence, _he _was irrational, she was the older one, the wiser one, and the rational one. Groaning at the reason inside her mind, she started walking towards the door saying, "For now, we'll have to find a good Ophthalmologist to assist me, and you better lose that tone of voice since I won't be as tolerant next time."

Naruto looked at his hands in shame and bit the inside of his gum. She was right, it wasn't her fault that Sasuke's sight has been taken, it wasn't, and he shouldn't have been treating her as if it was, since it was not. Looking at her with apologetic and exhausted eyes, Naruto spoke.

"I…I'm sorry; I'll try to control myself in the future…"

Tsunade smirked at the apology and accepted it with a wink. "It's fine, as long as you make sure to keep your temper under control."

"Yeah…"

"Excuse me, but about the ophthalmologist, I have a person who can help in aiding you, sensei, he is very capable and I trust him with my eyes," Sasuke broke through the silence with his sharp toned voice.

"That's good. Give me his name and I'll contact him."

"Naruto, give her Kakashi's contact information."

Getting jolted out of his own misery, the blond knotted his brows in question. "Kakashi? Does he know someone?"

"No. Kakashi is an Ophthalmologist himself, Naruto. Contact him."

Nodding, Naruto searched inside his cell for Kakashi's number and quickly scrubbed a long emotional message to him, in which he concluded of how much they needed him right now to fix Sasuke's eyes. A few minutes later, Tsunade's cell began ringing; she excused herself and stepped out of the room, leaving the two alone.

"Dobe, c'mere."

Hazily, Naruto walked towards the pale outstretched hand, he was yanked right into Sasuke's lap after taking it. Feeling the familiar scent of the raven circle him, Naruto closed his eyes and wished to remain inside those arms for as long as he lived.

"I missed you very much."

"Yeah, I know. I could hear your voice calling, through the darkness it was like a faint light. But somehow, a part of me refused to call back. It felt pretty comfortable to just stay in the place I was in, honestly, I didn't want to come back,"

"But I'm glad you did, I wouldn't know what to do with myself if you were gone."

The blond guided the soft touch into his face, and raised his lips to meet with Sasuke's. It was a brief kiss, Naruto felt his inner self object, but shook his head realizing Sasuke's wish not to initiate a contact right now.

"Naruto, I want you to do something for me now**.**"

His eyes turned soft and he gave a kiss to the hand gently caressing his cheek. "My life is yours."

A smile that he'd never seen flashed onto Sasuke's lips, and suddenly his heart felt like tearing into two. And even though Sasuke's words were very gentle and quiet, they felt like knives being stabbed into his soul.

"I need you not to come here again."

Naruto told his tears and confusion to stay at pay when he was pushed away from Sasuke's lap and the face he'd always loved turned free from all emotions.

"I don't really feel like hearing your voice or your words. So leave. And never come here again."

Feeling a hard stab into his being, Naruto's eyes released one stray tear without his consent and his voice shook a little as he was trying to chock the word out.

"W-Why?"

"I was resting, had thrown everything behind me and I just wanted to go. Yet, you so selfishly chose to bring me back. Ignoring my wishes. I can't be beside a person who is so selfish as to always think of his own happiness, putting it above mine. And now, as I've awakened with these set of blind eyes, I don't want such a person to accompany me through my recovery."

"B-But…I…"

Sasuke looked at his hands with a blank expression on his face, "I wanted to believe that you were special, different from all those people who have betrayed me and ruined my life. But in the end, you're just like them. Leave, get out of my sight and life, I've suffered enough as it is! Don't have me suffer anymore!"

Naruto allowed his tears to fall down freely, he wanted to say something…anything, but Sasuke's words were true. He couldn't say anything to deny them. Yes, he'd ignored whatever wish Sasuke's body had so many times tried to convey to him, and he was selfish into wanting Sasuke back, but it was because he…

Naruto gulped a hand over his mouth not able to finish his own sentence. What was he doing all those things for? Was it for Sasuke? No, it was because the idea of living in a world without Sasuke was so damn hard, he felt like dying every time he thought about it. And everything had turned black in his eyes. So, it wasn't for Sasuke, it was for him. He robbed the happiness of his one important person just for his own. What type of human being was he?!

Gulping the tears down to be able to speak, Naruto released one word then rushed out fast to the nearest washroom, because his stomach has demanded him to puke right this instance and get the black substance that was his spirit right out of it.

"Sorry."

* * *

Sakura looked with grim eyes at her blond friend as he took his food-filled tray and pushed it into the trashcan holding his ball and sprinting towards the backyard to the old court to start another excessive course of training. She frowned as her hands moved to pull Gaara's headphones out of his ears then voiced her inner thoughts.

"Naruto isn't normal."

"Yes, he is."

"No, he isn't. He has never thrown food! NEVER! Even when it tasted like shit; he'd push himself to eat it never to waste a single bite! It's his fricking motto!"

"Maybe he is changing habits."

"Naruto NEVER changes a habit that has to do with food."

"Maybe he is starting to."

"No, he'd NEVER do that."

Gaara rolled his eyes at the girl as his mood started changing when he tried to grab at his headphones only to have her yank them away. "Everyone changes, and he might be following after the herd," When she opened her mouth to reply he interrupted. "Yes, I know, he'd NEVER do that, right?"

Frowning at being interrupted, Sakura chose not to comment on it and simply went with a nod. "I've known him for as long as I can remember…and this is the first I've seen him act like this. He did get into depressions before, and he would pounce back the next morning with a huge bright grin on his face, but never this…"

The red haired muffled his mouth with a piece of honey coated toast. "Den jwst wyt twil twowo,"

Sakura angrily pushed the whole toast into Gaara's mouth and waited until he'd finished chewing.

"No, I won't wait 'till towow! It's his fourth day like this! Can't you see him withering away?!"

Gaara swallowed and started following the toast with the strawberry milk he loved so much. "Not really, or more like, I don't see a reason for him to get depressed, Sasuke has woken up and is walking right on the path of healing. Everything is back to normal, and we have qualified for the finals with no problem. See, no reason for depression."

"Wait, Sasuke-kun has woken up?"

Blinking, amazed at how she wasn't informed about something like this with her vast information network, he nodded his head. "You didn't know? I thought Naruto would've told you already."

Sakura decided to direct her inner anger into breaking the pencil she was currently holding. "No, he didn't!"

"Weird. I totally thought he'd fly into telling you."

"Stop pouring salt in the fricking wound, would you?! Plus, when did his royal ass wake up?"

Gaara hid his satisfied grin under his strawberry milk straw. "Hmm…let me remember, Neji told us the day before yesterday, and so…yeah, last Monday."

"You mean four days ago?"

"That would be it."

"Naruto didn't come to school on Tuesday, and on Wednesday he came with a dark cloud on his head. Then, that means only one thing!"

Not bothering to over analysis the situation like the genius beside him, Gaara decided to ask instead of squeezing his brain to train with Sakura's brainy express. "What?"

"Something had happened between them! And by Naruto's condition, it's something big. Say, didn't this Neji of yours say anything about Sasuke? Like another problem happening or something?"

"Nope, said he'd just awakened."

"Then why hasn't he come to school yet?"

"Dunno. Haven't asked."

The vein inside Sakura's forehead popped at this, but still, she controlled a calm exterior. "Do you mean to tell me that your ACE player had been awakened from a freaking coma and none of you dared to ask when he was coming back to school?! Especially when you're in the finals in _two weeks!"_

Gaara looked blankly at her and sipped again from his almost finished strawberry milk cart.

"Nope. We were too glad to question. And even if he wasn't with us, we'd win the Interhigh. That's why no one bothered. Just him being alright was good enough."

"You are just a group of athletic morons really; I bow my hat for whoever is responsible for you idiots."

"Hey! Don't forget your precious Naruto-kun is also a member of the team."

"Only helps in proving my case more."

"He'd be insulted if he heard 'ya."

"No, he wouldn't. He knows it. Anyways, can you get me information, about Sasuke-kun's real condition?"

"I just told you! He is alive and kicking!" Gaara exclaimed with eyes that told Sakura he thought she was the dumbest person alive.

Sakura rolled her eyes at the log before her. "Can you please pay attention to what I'm saying? I said _'real condition'_, it's obvious that there is something going on over there, I don't think that Naruto would be this gloomy if Sasuke-kun's condition has, in fact, improved."

"Then," Gaara frowned at his next words, "You think he is what…dead?"

"Not necessarily, perhaps he did wake up, but is now suffering from something else."

"I doubt it, Neji would have told us."

"Would he really? Think with me for a sec, you are all a group of rookies, with some senpais, your Ace has been hospitalized, your psych has been influenced in a bad way, whether you know it or not, if you were told that your said Ace has woken up from his coma but is now suffering something worse. How would your hopes be?"

"For me, nothing would actually change."

"I'm speaking about normal people!"

"Oh, then they'd be somehow down, I would assume."

"Precisely. And that's why I think Neji-kun had chosen not to inform you of anything unnecessary and to focus only on the bright side, which is the awakening of Sasuke-kun."

Gaara's frown deepened at her words, and even though he didn't want it, the little mouse inside his brain started playing. "Even if that's so, Neji would never lie to me about something like this. And your words are all assumptions; there is no solid proof of him lying."

"But he didn't lie; he told you the truth, just not the whole truth. And there is a solid proof to what I'm saying…it's Naruto's current murkiness. It had happened on the same day Sasuke-kun is promised to have awakened in, and if there was nothing wrong, believe me, Naruto would be jumping with happiness by now. Besides, I have spoken to him on the same day that he'd gone to visit Sasuke-kun on, and Naruto was on cloud nine!"

Gaara threw the empty milk in the faraway trashcan and ignored the applause that rose from a group of students sitting beside the trashcan when his carton had hit the mark dead on.

"Let's assume your theory is correct-"

"It's not a theory, it's the truth."

"You don't know that yet."

"Yes I do."

Sighing, Gaara continued his words. "Fine, if the truth you believe has really happened, then we have nothing we can do. If Naruto is really depressed because of something that has happened to Sasuke's body, we have no way into interfering, and we'll just have to stand to watch 'till Sasuke's new illness is treated."

Sakura scowled at the words, not liking them one bit. "That is not possible, Naruto is wasting away, I can't just stand doing nothing and waiting for the day Sasuke-kun is treated to see my best friend smile again!"

"Then, oh big thinker, what do you plan to do?"

"I don't know yet, but when I come up with something, I'll let you know. For now, try to get me information about what's keeping Sasuke-kun away."

"His imaginary illness, of course!" Gaara mocked with a happy tone that came wrong with his stoic face.

Sakura smacked him with the broken pencil. "His real illness, Baka! And get the illness's details, too."

The bell rang singling the end of their little recess, Sakura scrubbed something down real fast and handed a group of sheets with the paper she has just written to the red haired who was starting to pull his empty lunch and head towards the cafeteria to drop everything.

"What's this?"

"This, you give to Ino. I won't be able to go to her house today, since I'll need to stalk Naruto. And tell her that the pink roses need watering approximately three times a day. Oh! And to put the blue ones that I liked the other day in a bag for me, I'll come by later to pick them up!"

Gaara glowered at her, not liking the treatment at all. "You know, I'm not your delivery boy!"

"Oh, yes you are! Just give them to her, thanks a bunch!"

Sakura bolted away from the scene before Gaara could decide that she needed to start doing her own work and stop relying so much on him to do it for her. Sighing, the redhead started making his way to the classroom – after a little stop at the cafeteria, and cursed himself for being such a pushover.

* * *

Sakura watched the orange-ish ball pounce back into Naruto's hands for the millionth time that day; she sighed and sheltered herself under her red umbrella with her school bag keenly placed between her legs protecting her precious books.

"Na. Ru. To. It's about time you stop playing. The rain's getting worse!" She called from her place.

A swift smile was given to answer her but no words were processed. Sakura sighed again and pulled herself alongside her bag from the bench that was already filling with water; she came into the court and walked towards the drenched blond.

"You'll catch a cold like this," She said as she put the umbrella over him as a refuge. "A cold won't allow you to participate in the finals."

"I won't catch a cold, Sakura. Did you forget your words that idiots don't catch colds?"

"No, smartass, I'm just changing them to 'idiots are the only ones who catch colds.'" She stuck her tongue out to him.

"It's unlike you to contradict yourself."

"And it's unlike you to want to kill yourself on purpose, either." Sakura came closer and put a comfortable warm hand on Naruto's wet shirt, frowning to herself when she saw how soaked he clearly was. "Naruto, what's wrong? You're feeling under the weather for a while now, and I know there is something wrong with you, you know you can tell me anything, right?"

"Yes, I know and there is nothing to tell, Sakura, you're just imagining things." He chirped with fake cheerfulness.

Getting angry at being treated as a fool, Sakura released a cry of anger. "Look me in the eyes and tell me that lie one more time, Uzumaki!"

At her angry retort, Naruto felt a cold chill run down his spine. He retrieved the ball she had in her hands and dashed towards the basket attempting a slam dunk. Even though he succeeded into doing it, he slipped on the watery court on his way down, causing a worried Sakura to run into checking up on her depressed friend.

"Naruto! Oh my God! Are you alright!?"

At the snicker that left his mouth, Sakura felt royally confused. The blond supported his upper body with his hands as he looked up letting the rain wash over him.

"He said he liked the rain, Sakura. Loved how those little drops would come together cleaning everything as a whole. He loved the rain."

Sakura let a sigh escape her lips as she came to shelter him again under her red umbrella. "I don't think Sasuke-kun would've wanted you to kill yourself with the rain he loved."

"But I think he would. He said he didn't want to see me anymore, that I robbed him his happiness in favour of mine. That I was a mere selfish human who like all others has betrayed him and ruined his life."

"Naruto…"

"And you know what the funny thing is? I had actually done everything that he's accused me of! I wanted him back, not because of him but because I didn't want to _part_ from him. It was for my own good, and I didn't even spare a moment to think of the hard life he is living right now amongst his messed up family members or what he would have wanted to."

Sakura tucked a stray hair back and kneeled beside the exhausted blond.

"Naruto, there is nothing wrong with being selfish. We're human; we're allowed to get selfish. It's in our nature. You wanted him back because you want him beside you, you want to wake up and see him, sleep and see him. I don't honestly think that that is something bad. Life is beautiful Naruto, and the fact that you wanted to share it with him doesn't makes it such a bad, selfish act to me."

Naruto shook his head. "I took away his inner peace of mind for mine. It's nothing beautiful. It's ugly and underhanded! I'm ugly and underhanded! I should have just let him go and not have forced him to open those eyes again!"

A slap was given silently to each of his cheeks and Naruto looked with wide shocked eyes at his angry friend.

"That's not true, Naruto! So, don't you dare say it is again! Naruto, you know I've lost my father when I was young. I'd do anything in the world to go back and help him survive! There is nothing peaceful about death, not to the person who dies or the people left behind! I don't believe that we'll find comfort into knowing he is in peace! Because 'till now, Naruto, I didn't! Not a day goes by that I don't wish to see him one more time, to be able to laugh with him…or just be together."

Naruto stretched a shaking hand to his best friend, he'd known that her father was gone, but she was always nonchalant about it, it never occurred to him that she was actually pretty shaken up about it. His hand was slapped away as Sakura pulled him by the collar and looked deep into his azure shinning orbs.

"S-Sakura?"

"If Sasuke-kun thinks that life is worthless and he is only coming back into a hell, then change that hell for him! Make him see the beauty in life! Educate him! Don't give up on him! It's worthless if you give up life alongside him! You should know better, Naruto! You _do _know better! Death was never an answer! So what if you acted a little selfishly and wanted him to come back?! The Ass should be fucking grateful for you! Life is too precious to be lost in a mere game! Open your eyes, Naruto, open your eyes!"

Naruto saw Sakura's face mix with water, her eyes were leaking and the sky above them was leaking, too. He didn't know which water was coming down on his face, Sakura's tears, or the rain. But as his mouth stretched into a tiny smile, he stopped thinking about that and pulled his friend into a calming hug.

Under the rain, with Sakura's umbrella thrown away and their clothes drenched to the bone, the two shared the calmest, most tranquil hug any of them has ever had. Sakura was the first to break free from the hug with a sniff from her nose.

"You awake from your self-pity now?"

Naruto grinned at her. "Wide awake."

Sakura smiled back and pulled herself up, quickly dashing towards her umbrella before the sudden wind blew it away and they got stuck inside the school parameters until the rain held up. She put the newly caught umbrella over her body and Naruto as she pulled her wet bag along.

"Nooooooooo~!" Sakura whined into the rain.

Blinking blue orbs shone at her whine. "What's wrong, Sakura-chan?"

"My books," She turned with teary eyes at him. "They're all ruined!"

"Well, serves you right. Who told you to bring another set of books out of school at weather like this?"

"It wasn't _'a weather like this'_ when I took them out! The sun was still up!"

"Which was…how many hours ago?" Naruto asked as he started heading towards the exit to the old court.

"I don't know! It's your fault not mine! Since you kept on playing, ignoring my every plea to get going home! Now we won't even find a proper bus to take! Great Naruto, just great!"

Rolling his eyes at Sakura's second face, he ignored the words and helped her inside the school so they can reach the lockers, and the front gate.

"Stop worrying about your freaking books; we can get them dried at home. Just ask Iruka, I'm sure he has one or two tricks to make those books look brand new!"

Sakura sighed tailing behind her childhood friend. "Just because he is a writer doesn't mean he knows how to dry a book."

"It has nothing to do with him being a writer. When I was a kid, I'd always destroy his books, be it with water, paint, glue, whatever I could get my hands on, so Iruka learned from an early age how to protect and save what has been destroyed from his books."

"Gosh, you were really the annoying brat, Naruto. I pity Iruka-san."

A trademark grin was given to her as they passed by his locker; Naruto got his backpack out and closed it again with the combination. And once more, they started walking towards the front gate.

"Say Naruto."

"Hm?"

"How is your right leg? You slipped back there and fell on it, remember?"

"Yeah, wasn't anything serious though. I slipped on my butt more than on my leg. So, everything's good. It would be pretty uncool to break an arm and a leg in my first semester in the first year of my High School years."

"Well, it would just get into your record of inhumanely things. God knows your Middle School stories are already leaking from their pages." Sakura released a giggle when remembering a few of Naruto's former incidents.

"And as my bestest best friend in the whole world, you won't speak a word about my former history to a soul!"

"Why is that?"

"Because it would totally ruin any future plans I may have in becoming cool!"

The pink haired girl rolled her eyes at him. "You still have hope in that field, Naruto? To me your chances have all came to zero the first day of school."

Buffing his cheeks on his best friend, Naruto pulled his wet hair back since it started leaking on his face. "That's something I would never accept no matter what! I'll be popular one day in this forsaken school!"

Sakura sighed and the ringing of Naruto's cell saved her from tiring her throat into trying to convince an ape-man that the fire was a crucial part in his civilization. The blond picked up the line and started speaking.

"Yes, Naruto's speaking. Oh senpai, what? No, I'm still at school…hmmm…no, not alone, I'm with a friend, no not Gaara…hum? It is fine, I'll make sure, yes, yes. The third seat on the fourth row, you say? 'Kay got it! Bye."

Sakura asked when he closed his cell with a sigh escaping his lips. "What's wrong, Naruto?"

He waved his hands at her and smiled. "Nothing's wrong, don't worry. This was Neji-senpai, he wanted me to get a book from his desk, seems like he's forgotten it."

"It's not like school is out tomorrow, he can just come to retrieve it later on."

"A kohai can't actually talk back to a senpai's request, Sakura. And besides, we are here, no harm into taking the book to shelter for him."

Sakura tagged behind with a tiny mumble of, "I still don't see why he can't just get it tomorrow."

Naruto decided to float his friend's annoyance and with a smiling face, made his way towards Neji's classroom.

* * *

"Call me nosy, but something is going on between you and Naruto. What's happened?" Neji questioned after making himself comfortable on the couch placed on the luxurious room Sasuke was placed in.

The raven looked passively at him through blindfolded eyes. "Nothing happened between us."

"Sasuke, I wasn't born yesterday, and I know Naruto and most importantly, you. He would die before letting you alone after you've woken up, and this is his ninth day _not_ dropping by to see you. When you were sleeping, he would _always_ come to visit, however busy he was. And it makes zero sense for him to stop when his sole wish has come true."

"…"

Neji helped himself to the fruit basket arranged on the table; he took the knife and began pealing himself an apple. "Sasuke, you should know by now that I'm not the type to consider worthless things like your emotions, and I'll be stepping on them as hard as I can, especially when they concern my Gaara."

Sasuke arched a brow at the place Neji's voice was coming from. "Just explain to me how he is concerned here?"

"Seems like the female that came searching for Naruto the day he broke his arm, hmmm…her name is Haruno something I believe, anyway, she is befriending Gaara now, and he seems troubled with what she had him do,"

"Shouldn't you be having this conversation with her then?"

"Nope, since she came with useful information that I have been looking past, but since my boy wants to know, I would do anything in my power to get the information out of you. So, speak, what happened between you two?"

Sasuke grabbed hard at the sheets he was holding and ran his tongue out to wet his dry lips.

"Nothing. He just realized the mistake he'd put himself in and decided to stay away."

Neji twirled the knife in his hand and smirked, "You know Uchiha, if your hands weren't grabbing the sheets like you'd piss any minute now and the tips of your ears weren't getting redder by the second alongside your agonized lips, I would've actually believed that lie even though it contradicts everything I know of Naruto."

"Hmph, it's your choice to believ-"

And Sasuke had to dodge the knife that found its way towards his head.

"I don't miss twice, Uchiha."

Sasuke released a glare through his own darkness and with a blank expression replied. "Go right ahead, I won't stop you. Aim for my brain and relieve me."

Neji walked towards the wall his knife had resident in, he pulled it out and threw it back without looking. Perfectly, it stuck into the red plump apple he was cutting earlier.

"And why would you want to die?" At the silent reply, Neji started adding things up. "Unless, you were the one who drove him away…Oh God, why didn't I think about this sooner! You sure would have done it, thinking of another stupid thing like how he is better off without you."

"He _is_ better off without me."

Neji walked back into the couch, having already assured his thoughts. "Sasuke, sometimes you amaze me of how dumb you could get."

The raven cringed at the insult but didn't show its effect on his face, taking the satisfaction away from his asshole of a friend.

Disappointed at not even getting an eye twitch, Neji continued.

"And just to see you getting hurt, since you deserve it, I'll tell you a little something about Naruto, he is in a shitty condition. Practices all the time, doesn't eat right and a few days back, he collapsed after training his ass hard in the rain and is still on bed with a fever." Neji scowled remembering their first game without Naruto and Sasuke, even though they'd won, it was a very hard fight to pass through, shrugging the distant events away, he continued torturing Sasuke.

"Whatever your royal ass has said to him, it's tormenting him. I'm guessing you said something that blamed him, since if it was something like _'I want you to stay away because from now on everything would be a hellish ride'_ will not affect him with anything. But Sasuke, that was really low, even for me."

Sasuke released a tired sigh and returned back into the cushions. "It was the only way. Naruto needs to forget about me and live a normal life. Enjoy basketball, his high school life, graduates, goes to collage, find a good job and a beautiful girlfriend and most of all, lead a normal life that won't have him jeopardizing his very existence and leading the way for a blind man all the time."

"Wow, you've had all his life planned out, haven't you? But, I think you've neglected one simple truth. It's his decision to make, not yours."

"I couldn't give him the right to choose, since he'll choose to remain with me, and I don't want him to."

Neji picked up his knife again and continued cutting the remaining half of the apple. "Let me ask this then, what would you do if your decision had the opposite effect on him, like instead of forgetting you like you want, he goes and hangs himself out of depression and self-pity?"

Sasuke shook his head, refusing the idea. "Naruto isn't that weak. He values life too much to think of something pitiful like that."

"You thought about it."

"I don't value life."

"You value his life."

"Your point?"

"If you value a person's life, doesn't that make you want to live and continue watching over said person's life, hence valuing your own life?"

"Even if I'm not around, there will be people who would care for him and his wellbeing."

"Like the Haruno female."

Neji's face lit up with a smirk when Sasuke's facial features turned into a very obvious annoyed scowl.

"Yes. Like her."

"You're a very jealous son of a bitch, you know that Uchiha, a stupid, possessive, jealous son of a bitch!" The lilac eyed teen released between amused laughs.

"Better than a freakish, insane, lust-filled, kinky-assed sadist!"

"Oh, Sasuke~" Neji chirped. "I'm blushing, thank you."

"That wasn't a compliment, Ass."

"Seemed so to _my_ ears. And as much as I would love to sit around talking to you, I'll have to bail, my love is waiting for me to teach him a new style in basket's love."

And Sasuke did nothing to hide his own disgust. "Spare me."

"That I shall do, bye, bye now."

Before the sound of Neji's feet squeak out of the door, Sasuke spoke the thought that was lingering inside his head for a while now.

"Neji…" When he heard the feet stop making any sound, Sasuke continued, "How serious is his condition?"

The raven flipped his hair as an evil grin told him to play with Sasuke's nerves before telling the truth, but then again, he was running a bit late, and even though the idea of Gaara fucking him with ropes as a punishment for being late sent him closing his eyes in ecstasy, he decided to save the kinky sex for after they finish with their second match. He needed a reward for his upcoming win, after all.

"He was in a pretty bad condition the first three days, but now, that he's passed his seventh, he is alright. Nothing to fear. But Sasuke, I'm telling you this as a friend who doesn't want to see you regret this decision later on, make up with Naruto. He needs you to function, and you look more dead than usual without him. You might not want him to go through hell with you, but that's his decision, stop denying him his right. There are different types of happiness, what would you know? His might lay with yours."

With that, Neji let himself out of the door and as he made his way into his private car, he rolled his eyes at himself for not questioning Sasuke about his own condition, skipping towards the exit, he pushed the issue to the back of his head, for right now, his mind switched into The-Gaara-Mode and the whole world turned grey.

* * *

Naruto told his heart to remain in place, he took a deep breath in and released the air out again, another one, in and out, in and out, and then he pushed the bell. A few minutes later, a tired voice answered him with the door unlocking open.

"Naruto!" An astonished Kakashi looked with eyes that had bags under them at the short teen, "What are you doing here?"

"Invite me inside, first," The blond retorted with a smile.

"Yeah, sure, come in."

Walking inside the apartment that he'd lived in for a period of two weeks and a few more days had Naruto remember the good lovely times he'd with Sasuke before anything bad had happened. His smile became slightly disheartened as he was invited into the living room. Kakashi threw his tired body into the couch.

"I see you have been working a lot."

"More than a lot. I haven't seen any sleep in three whole days; do you know how hard it's for me to keep a lid open right now?"

"Yeah, sorry about that, I'll be quick then," He shifted in his seat and pulling his strength together, he clasped both his hands. "I came to ask you about Sasuke, he doesn't want to see me, so I can't go see him at the hospit-"

"He was taken back home, no longer there even if you go."

"Oh, then the more reason why I won't be able to meet with him, not that I can, anyway. So, how is he doing?"

"For starters, we found out that his blindness was in fact caused by Tsunade-sensei's treatment, remember the vein that I told you will be untouchable in Sasuke's eyes?"

"Yes."

"The electricity seemed to have messed it up rendering Sasuke's eyes invalid."

"Is it temporary?"

"That, we haven't found out yet, it might take a few more days and a hell of a lot of work. So, why can't you go see him?"

Naruto gave his father's boyfriend a saddened smile. "He doesn't want to see me."

"I noticed, but why? You two were like honey and jam, totally sweet with each other."

"He's fed up with me. I'm too selfish and I can only think about myself. He doesn't want a person like me beside him, and I can't really object, but even though…I want to know about him. My heart hurts if I stay in the dark like this."

"What makes you think he's fed up with you?"

"He said so himself, and when I thought it over, he was right. From the beginning I was the one following him, stalking him and forcing him against his will to befriend me, then it turned into something more, and I got myself hurt, he was hurt trying to save me, and just when he was finally going to rest in peace, I pulled him into another nightmare with consequences that he'll have to bear for life."

"We still don't know if it would be for life or not, but let me ask you this Naruto, do you love Sasuke?"

"Love? I'm not sure…I still can't be certain that my feelings are truly love."

"Then let me rephrase, do you like him?"

"I do."

"Want to always be beside him, want him to be happy and smiling all the time, to live his life the way he wants it, you would trade everything good you have for everything bad he has just to see him smile?"

"Yes, without a second thought, yes."

"Then that's exactly what love is. It's not bad not to be sure, but you need to step out of that stage and into another one, and in order to do that you'll have to get close to Sasuke and figure it out with him. Naruto, Sasuke is a mess these days. He doesn't eat properly so we have been tubing him with liquid nutrients and he is paler than usual."

Naruto felt his heart clench at the words, his eyes turned pleadingly as he looked Kakashi in his visible eye. "W-Why? Why isn't he eating? Is it because he really wants to die? You can't let him die! Please!"

Holding a hand to clam Naruto, the silver haired doctor explained, "No, Naruto. He doesn't want to die, yet. He is missing you and, also, Sasuke is fighting."

He allowed his heart to skip at the 'missing you' comment, but chose to voice the question that hanged waiting to be announced. "Fighting?"

"Yes, fighting against his own better judgment, his heart is telling him something, whilst his mind is telling him another, and inside his own darkness, he's completely lost. I can't help him and no doctor in this whole world can. The only person who can aid him in his silent fight is you, Naruto."

Naruto clenched his hands with his eyes holding folds of sadness. "I can't. They won't let me in; he doesn't want to see me!"

"And he wouldn't. Sasuke is blind right now, can't see shit. You go; sit and he won't even pay attention."

Startled blue orbs looked at him, and the idea seemed to appeal to the owner since when the blond spoke, the disappearing tone of hope, has returned once more.

"B-But the Uchiha household, I haven't been there before, and I don't think they'll let me in,"

"One call to Itachi will sort all that out. Just make sure to go at night. That's when the air will be most quiet and you two can have a deep, long conversation and work whatever out."

As he bowed for the first time in his life for Kakashi, Naruto ran to the door, holding his cell close to his ear and dialing the number he'd come to memorize by now. Yet before he could run down the stairs, he shouted to the silver haired man.

"Iruka misses you like hell! It's nice to work and all, but give him a call or he'll think you've dumped him or are cheating on him!"

Kakashi sighed and closed the door after the running blond. He wondered how stupid Naruto was for not coming up with a simple plan as the one he'd just gave him. Shrugging the obvious answer, Kakashi walked towards his bedroom, deciding to give him love a call before drifting to the sweet, appealing land of dreams.

* * *

Naruto nodded at the fifth guard he come across on the long way inside the labyrinthine of a house; the guard guiding him towards Sasuke's supposed room made a turn to the right. Allowing Naruto a magnificent night view to the outstretched garden, the traditional looking pond blinked under the little scattered nightlights placed here and there. They crossed over a small bridge coming over the pond and Naruto noticed a few fishes jumping around, the tranquil view eased the throbbing inside his heart.

Finally, the guard guiding him pointed to a big white door, he spoke with an authoritative manly tone that Naruto had never heard except in movies and said.

"That's where Sasuke-sama is staying. This is as far as I can take you. Excuse me." With a bow, Naruto was left alone.

He breathed into the night's air and forced his feet to walk. The Uchiha house was more of an estate than a simple house and it was bigger than his by millions of acres, Naruto was sure. But, as he continued walking with eyes fixed on his goal, the traditional style had him calm down and remember his own humble residence. Really, rich old families did live life differently from him, he knew now that living in such an environment and having standards to follow, made Sasuke into the trust-less bastard he had become.

Standing beside the door, Naruto slid it so soundlessly not wishing to indicate or hint that he was inside. The lights were off, and so he had to close his eyes to adjust to the darkness and so slowly, he walked beside the bed.

As he looked at the laying picture of his friend, Naruto felt his tears gather at the corner of his eyes. Sasuke looked in a worse condition than the one he'd left him in. Sure the fuzz of hair had grown up a bit and Sasuke's beautiful midnight hair was flowing to a degree but his gorgeous eyes were blindfolded with a dark piece that Naruto found himself hating. He frowned at the way Sasuke's body appeared to be too thin to his liking.

Getting a bit closer proved to be a bad idea since Sasuke shot up to his legs the next moment pinning Naruto to the ground. If the blond hadn't been familiar with the fact that Sasuke was blind right now, he would have thought he was a perfectly fine human being, ignoring the skin that radiated a deadly hue, of course.

"Who are you?! And why are you intruding here?!"

And Naruto felt his heart breaking at the truth that was just being rubbed on his face.

"Answer me! Are you on Danzo's party, came to kill me when you heard I couldn't see anymore, eh?! Too bad for you! I've memorised the layout of my room and this whole house! I've been trained since young for the day I lose sight! So, I'm as good as a seeing man! Don't dare underestimate me, or you'll be the one meeting your death!"

His blue orbs gave up on fighting and released the tears gently allowing them to roll down Naruto's eyes' line heading towards his hair. He bit his lips, closing them tightly not wanting to release any sound that will have Sasuke recognize who he was pinning and then start on kicking him out.

Yet, his right hand couldn't obey to just stay put while the object it wished to touch was only a few centimeters away. Naruto sucked the happy laugh that wanted to escape his throat when his hand wasn't pushed away, and gently, he brushed Sasuke's cheek daring to cup it.

It didn't take long for Sasuke to identify the touch and the scent.

"N-Naruto?"

Black fine brows met in confusion, Sasuke stepped away from the blond and backed a few steps towards his bed steadying his feet and heart that seemed to want to get out of his chest.

"If you're Naruto, get out. I told you I don't want to see you."

Naruto gritted the painful words and stood up firmly, switching off all of his sense and reason and relying purely on his instincts. He ran with full power heading for Sasuke and succeeded into tripping them both onto the bed. Reversing their original position on the floor, he pinned Sasuke to the soft mattress.

Sasuke started pushing away but because his body was still too weak from the treatment he was taking, it was a battle lost in a flash.

"Naruto! Get off!"

The answer he got was a soft lick to his earlobe and a set of hot lips closing over his own. The salty, sloppy kisses mixed in with Naruto's tears made Sasuke's fighting-will cease for a moment. And as much as he wanted to kiss back, he stopped his lips from doing so, for he needed Naruto to leave him, get away and live a happy life away from him.

Cursing himself for what he was going to do to his precious blond, Sasuke bit the red tongue rooming so freely inside his own and waited for the pain to register inside Naruto's brain. It didn't take long for the blond to retreat, holding his aching tongue. Sasuke plopped on his elbow and wiped his mouth, forcing his own pain to bury down.

"Serves you right! Now, out!"

The blind raven pointed to where he thought his door was but wasn't prepared when Naruto jumped over him again with passionate set of eyes. Too bad he couldn't see them which left him wondering of what expression the blond was having right now. When he sensed the soft lips want to kiss him again, Sasuke kicked Naruto hard on the nuts.

He heard whimpers of pain and increase in the amount of tears Naruto was harbouring, but the blond refused to let go of him. Sasuke took a moment to catch his tired breath and Naruto took that moment to kiss every exposed flesh of the raven.

Feeling his will abandon him, Sasuke released a soft request.

"Naruto…_please_, let me go. Leave here and don't come back."

The blond quickly claimed those nasty lips shut, sparing his mind the agonizing thoughts and his heart the hurting words. But as Sasuke started moving his head away, refusing to kiss him back or to allow him access to his lips, Naruto felt his heart tear bit by bit with pain.

Not being able to contain himself anymore, Naruto released his tears letting them fall over Sasuke's face and even though he promised not to let his voice out, the hiccups refused to obey by his rule.

Hearing Naruto cry, sensing Naruto's tears and knowing that he was the reason for Naruto to be this sad and torn was too much for Sasuke to take, so he had to find a way to end it. He bit hard on the inside of his mouth, drawing blood and then he opened his mouth revealing it to Naruto.

"If you continue to kiss me against my will, I'll make sure you kiss blood!" He snarled coldly at the astonished blond.

Blue eyes widened in fear, Naruto quickly removed himself away from Sasuke, clenching his hands.

"Do…do you hate me this much?"

The question shook Sasuke's core, he knew the answer and had it on the tip of his tongue, but the answer he'd had and the one he needed to give weren't the same. He wanted nothing more than to go over there, hug Naruto, kiss the life out of him and tell him that all the mean things he'd said, all the things he did, were lies. But that will not let Naruto be in peace. And he wanted Naruto to stay in peace. So he gave his obligated answer.

"Yes."

And Sasuke squeezed his heart and mind shut when slow dead steps walked out of his room, closing the door with a silent tuck that seemed like a loud slam to Sasuke's numbed up ears.

* * *

**I honestly feel sad now that I have finished this chapter. But hopefully, everything will work out just fine! Thanks for reading I'll be looking forward to your opinions! Review and review~**


	12. Chapter Twelve

**Author Notes:**

**OMG! You people will not know how sorry I am! T_T My connection was down for a whole week and I had no way into posting this chapter! I'm so so so sorry! I wish you're still around and following this story *looks around the deserted page* XD. But hopefully, this chapter will allow your sad hearts to lighten up a bit about Sasuke's and Naruto's messed up relationship and forgive me for the late update! Enjoy!**

* * *

Sakura threw the other notes on Naruto's tear-filled living room table and sat beside him on the ground with an annoyed expression resident on her lovely features. Rolling her eyes at the mess that was named Naruto, she watched him weep in agony.

"Sakura-chan! That's just horrible of you! I can't put another word inside my head! It'll explode, I swear!" He whined, grabbing his buzzing head.

Feeling her annoyance reach its max, Sakura flamed her mouth at him. "Yes you can, and you will! This ain't a game, Uzumaki! Our midterms are just around the corner, and you still haven't studied a single thing! You don't even know what atherosclerosis is and the teacher was talking about it for three straight days!"

Pouting, Naruto knotted his brows in frustration. "Lots of people don't know what atherosc-ca-caalatorious is and I've been busy!"

"Atherosclerosis, baka, atherosclerosis. And even if you were busy, you're not the only one who is, I'm also busy, but I still find time for studying!"

"You're a bookworm! You live to study!"

Sakura smacked her friend on the head with her neat biology notebook and crossed her hands over her C-Cupped chest. "Stop whining, idiot, and get back to memorizing, God knows your brain works only on memorizing worthless basketball moves!"

"Hey! They aren't worthless!"

"When they can't help you stop from repeating your first year, they are worthless. And why the hell has that hand of yours stopped copying?"

A fine, threatening pink brow was raised and Naruto shrieked away in fear. For after all, if Sakura decided to take her papers and leave, he was seriously in for repeating this year, since all his time he was juggling a basketball instead of a book, it left his brain void of any information that would be marked educational.

Hmph-ing the nasty words inside his throat, he spoke. "I'm writing! Get off my case already!"

"You'd thank me when you don't get kicked out of the team for having lower than the standard marks for sport. Anyways, arguing with your stubborn ass has left me itching for something to drink, I'm going to help myself to some of your chocolate milk, want some?" She asked, making her way towards Iruka's beloved kitchen.

"Nah, just orange juice, there is a cart in the fridge,"

About fifteen minutes later, Sakura emerged from the kitchen with a mug of hot chocolate milk and a glass of fresh orange juice that she had chosen to squeeze instead of just pouring that industrial cart that Naruto apparently thought was a fresh juice, into a glass and serve it.

"Here, relish."

Naruto smiled at the cold beverage and took it from her, realising just how parched he really was when the juice met with his throat. He gulped it down in one go and placed the empty glass with a satisfied look on the table.

"Thanks Sakura! That was refreshing!"

"Glad you liked it, and for that, we'll take a five minutes break, rest your mind before you start on another question."

The blue eyed teen nodded and slumped on the scattered papers. "I'm soooooo tired~"

"Are they keeping you busy in the club?"

"Something like that, we have only three more games to win the cup. So everyone is on edge. And Tenten is making us go through hell," his body shivered remembering his former practices, "literal hell!"

Giving an understanding smile, Sakura blew on her hot chocolate milk, readying her tongue to have a sip. "She wants you to win and do your best 'm sure. Ummm…Naruto?"

"Yes?"

"Isn't there any new news about Sasuke-kun or his condition?"

In one second, the bright face turned one eighty degree in the opposite direction, causing Sakura to mentally sigh. It had been about a week since the day Naruto had turned into a corpse and came to the school in that condition; she had tried to extract the information out of him, but he refused to say a word to her, and every time Sasuke's name would come up in a conversation, Naruto would grow very quiet and a hollow cloud would appear over his head.

She would have to be blind to not notice that something came up with Sasuke, but her idiotic friend refused to tell her anything about it!

"Naruto? You with me?"

The blond shook his head and smiled at her. "Yeah, I am. I just don't have anything to tell you, Sasuke still hasn't come to school, and Neji said that most likely, he won't be attending this semester with us."

"You…you okay with that? Not seeing him again?"

"…He wants it that way…and I have no right to be a rock in his path."

"I hardly think you are a rock."

"Yes, I am. He said so, he wants me to seriously stay away, I mean, he bit his own lips when I tried to kis-" Naruto clapped his hands on his lips at his slip out, and two pair of horrified blue orbs looked at her.

Sakura just removed his hands from blocking the words coming out and smiled softly. "I know, Naruto. You don't need to hide it from me; in fact, I'm offended because you think you need to hide it from me!"

"You…you know?"

"Yep, maybe before you even realized it yourself. Your every move was hanging on him, you spoke about him almost every two seconds; you were drowning without knowing it, but I did."

Naruto looked at his hands laying on the ground helplessly, trying to get over the shock that she actually knew what he was trying so hard to hide and then asked. "Drowning, as in drowning in _love_?"

Sakura grinned, bearing her teeth. "And what sweet drowning that is!"

"No, Sakura, you are mistaken. I'm not drowning or anything, we don't love each other." He clarified, shaking his head with a scowl at the notion.

"Uzumaki, stop with the lying already! I have no problem with you loving him! Yes, it came as a shock and I felt like ripping your throat for falling for such an ass at the beginning, but I know you don't choose who you fall for! And besides, you two looked so good together that I just couldn't think of a better match to stand beside Sasuke-kun than you."

Naruto raised his head to smile faintly at her, feeling genuinely pleased that his best friend had actually felt that way.

"Thank you, Sakura. I'm really happy to know you agree to something like that. But I'm not lying either when I say we don't love each other. Sasuke hates me. He said so; he doesn't want to see my face. As I mentioned earlier, when I tried to kiss him, he bit the inside of his mouth to draw blood and forbid me from kissing him. He went to the length of hurting himself to keep me away. I'm disgusting to him! If that's his love, then I don't want to know what his hatred is!"

"Hmmm…this doesn't sound like the impression he gave off whenever I was around though."

"Impression when you were around?"

"Yes." She chirped, taking her mug and sipping from it. "He glares at me as if I'm the worst whore who has ever walked this Earth and I didn't exactly mind since I don't think so highly of him either. But I can understand why he was holding a grudge and acting so overprotective of you; it's because you were once in love with me. So, I just passed it off as a lion protecting his territory."

Naruto's eyes pulled out of their sockets and he blinked them back. "You…you knew? You knew about my feelings?!"

"Well, even if I didn't want to, you were gloating over me and I remember seeing you drool once. Your emotions are very honest Naruto and you can't hide them. You love him. I can see it written in bold lines across your forehead and he also loves you, but for some reason, the two of you can't…or _refuse_ to see that simple reality."

"Sakura, have you been hearing me correctly?! He _hurt_ himself to stop me from kissing him! How the hell does that translate in your mind as him loving me?!"

"And I'm sure there is a very good reason why he has done that." She put a hand under her chin thinking. "You've said that Sasuke-kun can't see anymore, right?"

"Yes?"

"And the docs still don't know if it's temporary or not, right?"

"Yes?"

Sakura's brain went into the thinking territory and when the answer hit her, she felt like rolling her eyes at the dimwit beside her.

"Naruto, you're a very stupid human being, you know that? You should think with your head a bit more! It's obvious why he has been treating you like shit and saying dumb stuff to keep you away! Sasuke-kun doesn't want you to get hurt spending the rest of your life with a blind man! He wants you to live normally, away from him and his messed up family, and he is saving no means into seeing that goal happen."

Naruto's golden brows met in a state of confusion. "No, he wouldn't do something like that, he knows how important he is to me and I did say I don't mind being beside him…even if he is blind."

"That's why he resolved it by hurting himself, he knew that if you were the one being hurt, you'd just pounce back and stay beside him ignoring his wishes, and I think hurting you will do more damage to him than you, that's why he went for the alternative. Hurting himself. With a full knowledge that you'd give up if he was placed in any danger."

"But...but…"

"Think hard, Naruto, everything fits like this. Sasuke-kun was very lovey-dovey with you, and he wouldn't change that over the course of one night. He was too overly attached for that to happen."

And the mouse inside Naruto's head started running on his dusty wheel, linking Sakura's words with the reality that he'd experienced through the past few weeks. His eyes widened at the hard truth that washed over him like a raging sea wave.

"Sasuke…THAT FUCKED UP ASS!"

Sakura had to steady the table and the glass of empty juice not to fall with Naruto's sudden dash towards the front door. She frowned at the papers scattered around; but her mouth soon took a sweet smile to it. If she had known that the truth was this simple, she would have forced Naruto into telling her the minute he came corpse-ing his way towards their class. Shrugging the stupidity of her friend away, she continued sipping on her chocolate milk, enjoying her free time 'till Naruto would come back with another set of worries.

* * *

Naruto slipped behind the third guard and ran into the familiar huge house. He had gotten a bit lost at the beginning, but when he saw the pond, he knew he was on the right track. His eyes scanned trough and settled on the white door his idiotic friend lay behind, he cursed when he was spotted and made a sprint towards Sasuke's room before he got caught.

Swinging the sliding door wide open, Naruto's eyes only saw a raven sitting on his royally comfortable and big bed while trying to remove the blindfold off of his eyes.

"SASUKE! YOU FUCKING BAKA!" He shouted and jumped over the bed, earning himself a loud jolted noise from the abused Sasuke and some background noises that went deaf to his red-with-anger-ears. Grabbing the collar of the faint blue Yukata with both his hands, Naruto made sure to explode all of his emotions into the other's face. "How dare you?! How dare you take away my decision to stay beside you! Fuck if you can't see! I don't care! I'll still be here! You have no right to take away my heart and step on it, Uchiha!"

"Nar-"

"NO! You've done your share of worthless words! It's my turn to talk and for your royal ass to listen! You broke me; you broke both of us with your selfishness! And for what?! To keep me away from being beside you when you need me the most?! To let me live a normal life?! Well, a flash news to you, buddy! My life has never been normal! And will never be normal! You can't just sacrifice us for me! I will never be happy like that! I need you to be with me and you need me! This is where we should be together! Stop being such a dick and just let me be with you!"

Naruto felt his anger release when those black eyes he adored dearly slipped right from under the blindfold; his right hand moved so slowly and pulled the damn thing away revealing a full access into Sasuke's eyes that he'd missed so much. He traced his fingers across Sasuke's eyelashes and settled them into his soft hair. Softly linking their foreheads together, Naruto whispered.

"Sasuke…I…I lov-"

"AHEM!"

Startled out of his skin and the near kiss he was about to give to the heir of the Uchiha's thrown, Naruto spared a look around him, a look that he should have spread the moment he barged in. In a flash of a moment, his face turned as red as a tomato.

The whole room was packed with people wearing white lab coats and on their heads stood a proud looking Tsunade and Kakashi apparently amused at Naruto's behaviour. A strong arm came to circle around his waist as he heard a sigh escape from the raven whose lap he was occupying.

"Excuse me, doctors, but would you mind giving us a minute?"

Tsunade grinned and started cooping her team out. "Sure, half an hour should suffice?"

"Yes."

Nodding his thanks towards the place the voice came from, Sasuke tightened his hold on the blond's waist when he felt Naruto bury his embarrassed face in the crook of his neck. Chuckles and giggles soon reached both their ears when the doctors stepped out of the room. And Naruto wished if he could just die right that second.

"No kinky-sex, you two!" Kakashi warned before closing the door behind him.

"Naru-"

"Why the hell didn't you tell me there were people present?! I looked like a complete idiot!"

"Well, if you had stopped interrupting me the first time I spoke like you've just done, you could've known."

Naruto felt his head explode in red and he slumped back onto Sasuke's warm chest. The chest he'd longed to be in for a period of whole three weeks, no, they were close to a month now; a whole month of being forbidden from Sasuke's touch. He didn't know how he'd survived up until now.

"Sasuke, I'm still standing by my initial words, you're a baka. How could you decide to cut me off like that? Do you know how much I've been hurt?"

The blank eyed teen felt his way towards Naruto's cheek, gently taking the other's heat towards his cold fingers.

"Naruto, do you know what it means to be with a blind person? You'd have to be alert at all times, special care will have to be done for me, and no matter how long, you'll feel the burden; the drag I'll be putting on your life. You'll grow weary and tired of the big responsibility. And be it sooner or later, you'd come to hate the decision you've made. Your eyes will always fill with sadness and pity each and every time you look at me. And the passion you're feeling right now will die off and burn into loathing. You'll also come to hate me and then hate the self that made you decide to remain by my side. Staying away from me now, when nothing between us has evolved seriously, is the best option for both of us. Believe me."

Naruto chose to kiss the cold hand hanging by his cheek and lean forward to touch his forehead to Sasuke's before whispering in a quiet and tender tone for only them to hear.

"Uchiha, you've just proven to me, in words, how much of an idiot you can be."

"Naru-"

Placing a finger on those rosy lips that became fainter over the weeks, Naruto spoke. "Hush, it's my turn now. Let me tell you something about the future, Sasuke. No one knows what lays in it. It may turn out like you've just said, but it may not. I trust you, and I need you and I _want _to be with you. Care for you and spoil you. If I was given the chance to spend my whole life with you, then I don't care if you don't have eyes, hands, legs or anything."

"That won't be enough, you'll regret it, and when you do, it will be too late."

Naruto shook his head with a sweet smile. "No, I won't. And you know why I won't?"

At the tender tone coming on the blond's lips and the nearing of Naruto's breaths on his face, Sasuke felt his own heart quicken. He released a shaky, "why?"

"Because…I love you. I love you, Sasuke. From all of my heart! It took me a while to make sure. But now, I'm certain. And I know how mushy and extremely gay it may seem for me to say this, but I do believe I'll die if I'm left without you."

Before Sasuke's mouth could come up with any words to respond, Naruto closed his own over it. Kissing with all his passion placed on the table. He wanted to fly to the moon the moment Sasuke's lips kissed back. A stray tear fell from his eyes. He was doing a lot of crying these days and he didn't like it, for it made him look so weak and _girly_, crying over everything like that. Yet, as he deepened the kiss and sank his fingers inside Sasuke's dark locks with a slight brush to the surgical scar, he chose to ignore that fact and pushed it to the back of his mind.

They parted for air, and Naruto felt his face flush at the sexy expression he was given. He bit his lips as the want to get closer started pulling on his heart.

"Sasuke, I think I might have drowned too deep." He released between lips trying to suck on air.

Sasuke pulled him in for another deep kiss into which he said. "You better have, Dobe."

"So…there was something I wanted to clear out now that we are talking, you don't really hate me, right? It was just one of the lies you made up to try and push me away, right?"

The movement of Sasuke's hand halted and his dark eyes widened as he squeezed the beautiful creature into a tight embrace.

"I have never hated you, Naruto. I only hate myself for hurting you." Sasuke raised his eyes at the latter wishing from all of his heart to be able to see the magnificent face looking down on him. "Will you ever forgive me for stepping on your heart?"

Naruto wiped his eyes not to have them tear all over Sasuke's face and placed a chaste kiss to the other's forehead.

"There is nothing to forgive. You did what you thought was best for me. And even though I was the one being trashed, you looked more in pain than I."

Sasuke gave a tiny smile and whispered, "Kiss me."

And Naruto happily let himself fall into the warm arms of love.

* * *

"As we have been saying before Uzumaki-kun interrupted us, we think we may be able to restore your sight, Sasuke-kun."

Naruto's eyes widened with joy; he closed his hands tightly over Sasuke's and sat hearing what the doctors had to say next.

Another doctor took the chart off of the first one's hand and continued, "We think that if we can reverse the treatment of Tsunade-sensei, there will be a chance for us to get inside and treat the damage made to the nerve."

"But won't that affect his awakening?" Naruto asked with concern.

The brown haired female doctor shook her head. "Not at all, it's true we are reversing the process, but that's just simplifying the procedure we're going to take. In fact, it's a bit different from Tsunade-sensei's treatment, since we'll only rely on electricity and his neural system."

A glasses-wearing doctor made it more understandable for them. "In other words, we will be stimulating his neurons, to help his blood circulation. It's a complex process, but we have faith we'll accomplish it with success."

"But weren't Sasuke's eyes unapproachable to surgery earlier?"

"Yes," Kakashi stepped in, feeling left out now that the room was packed with doctors. "But the treatment Tsunade-sensei has done did more good than we gave it credit for; it removed the risk we feared when we wanted to operate on Sasuke's eyes."

"Which was?"

"Him going blind."

Naruto smiled back at the grin he was given, he looked towards the raven and his smile turned to a huge grin.

"Then, Sasuke will be able to see?"

"We hope so," The glasses guy said. "It all depends on him and how much he wants to recover**.**"

"Sasuke?" Naruto directed questioning eyes at the raven; he received a reassuring smile.

"Don't worry, Dobe. I'm aiming to get my sight back. I'll work hard; you don't have to trouble your mind with this."

"Alright! Since we're done here for the day, everyone let's go." Tsunade cracked her neck and gathered the papers on the table. "The procedure and surgery are scheduled next week, on Monday."

"Wait, what? No, Monday isn't alright! I have my midterms on that day!"

Tsunade rolled her eyes following her doctors towards the door. "We won't stop our work just because you have petty exams."

"But I want to be here!"

"You don't need to be here; he'll be sedated most of the time and most likely won't wake up 'till Wednesday. So, just go take your exams and focus on them." She said_, _closing the door behind her.

Naruto sat back on the chair he was occupying with a sad look on his face. "No way…I want to be here."

"Naruto, she's right. There is no meaning in you coming, just go study and get good grades. I don't want you to use me as an excuse for not studying."

"Hey! Not fair! I'll never use you for something like that, no matter how tempting the idea sounds."

"Glad to see you're resisting temptation. Anyway, it's time for you to head back. I heard there will be a drizzly rain coming up this evening, so I'll prepare a car to take you home since I want you to go before it hits."

Naruto pouted climbing onto the bed and pulling Sasuke's blanket away. "No, I'm not leaving. I've called Iruka and he allowed me to stay the night."

"No you can't. Go home."

"Why can't I? We've agreed that you stop trying to push me away, right?"

Sasuke sighed and took hold of Naruto's hand guiding it to his crotch. The blond felt his face redden at the warmness.

"If you stay the night, I'm afraid I won't be able to control myself, Naruto. Now if you understand, get going already."

"Umm...Sasuke, I don't really mind."

"Stupid, sure you do! When I entered one finger, you went all crazy on me. And I don't think you can bear to have sex right now."

"W-We can try." Naruto said still feeling the warmth inside his hand.

"Look, when we have sex, I want to be able to see you. Memorize you. And recall every taste you have. I don't want to rely on my ears just like a fucked up bat! So, until I get my sight back. We can't do anything."

Naruto wanted to comment to this, but when the member under his hand started coming to life, his flush deepened.

"Sasuke, umm...you're getting hard."

"That's because I'm imaging our first time, remove you hand and step out. Give me five minutes and I'll be done."

"No I think…I'll help!"

Naruto removed his hand and crawled under the blanket, he came face to face with Sasuke crotch as his hand raised the Yukata away; he felt his face flame more as his heart began beating and his tips grew cold. Slowly, he pulled Sasuke's underwear away and came face to face with the throbbing cock.

"Dobe! Get away! I can do it myself!"

Naruto dodged Sasuke's troubling hand and gulped his own nervousness away. He pulled the underwear out of the way for good and touched the hot flesh intentionally for the first time in his life. Naruto grabbed hold of the member and started stroking with a slow rhythm. His azure eyes fell on Sasuke's face as he continued to quicken his hand's movement. When he touched the head of Sasuke's cock, the raven tilted his big head backwards, proving to Naruto just how much he was feeling it.

"You haven't had any sexual act in a while, right?"

"Besides you, no…unnghh..."

Naruto grinned and decided to try something he'd read about in the network. He slowly put his mouth over Sasuke's throbbing member and started sucking, the shaft inside his hands started hardening.

"Oh God, Naruto! What are you doing?!"

The blond smirked and said, "Swking your dwk."

The vibrations from his mouth had Sasuke digging his fingers into Naruto's golden hair. The blond's smirk widened for being able to control the reactions of his love for the first time since they've met, and took the cock deeper into his mouth, replaying a rhythm with both of his hands as they continued to play with Sasuke's balls and hardening dick.

"Dobe…stop it…nnmm…stop!"

Naruto ignored the protests and took a hard, deep suck from Sasuke's tip; he felt his own pants grow tight with each moan that escaped Sasuke's mouth and slowly, he pulled his left hand to unzip his jeans, getting his hardening length out to have some air. He developed a second rhythm with his own throbs.

A groan escaped his mouth radiating swiftly over Sasuke's cock. The sound of another pair of throbs being made, pulled Sasuke's mind from his own ecstasy, and he licked his lips as a naughty picture came to residence on his inner darkness.

"Naruto**…**come here."

Feeling like a puppy having a loving hand extended to him, Naruto removed his hands and obeyed, already coming to sit on Sasuke lap with the blanket disregarded at both their feet. He looked down at their reddening dicks and frowned momentarily at the size of Sasuke's. No wonder he got scared of having that thing thrust up his ass. It was huge, for God's sake!

"Sasuke…hhaa…I…love…" Naruto released a breathy sound as Sasuke took hold of both their erections pumping them together.

Soft kisses were pressed against his exposed skin; Naruto bit his lips when the excitement was getting too heated for him to take. He put his hand under Sasuke's jaw, forbidding any other kisses and clashed their mouths together. He smiled when he thought of how Sasuke could now taste his own pre-cum, but it only proved into making him more exited.

"Mnnnhh...Sasu...'m dying!"

Sasuke traced his way into Naruto's chest and got a hold of a nipple, squeezing it gently, before coming to suck so lightly on the hard area. The voices his boyfriend was making felt like music to his ears. He stepped away and squeezed hard on their joint dicks.

It didn't take long for sweet milk to flow between their stomachs. Naruto slumped on Sasuke, panting and smothering his clothes with a white fluid.

"That…that was amazing!"

"No." Sasuke pulled the head in his lap to give Naruto a deep kiss that if he wasn't too careful with, they'd have to enter into phase two of playing with themselves. "You're amazing. Where did you learn to blowjob like that?"

Naruto grinned with a flushed face. "Happy you liked it. I picked it up from the wire. I think I messed up on some steps though. But as long as you're happy, 'm happy."

"I wouldn't mind getting a service like that from you every now and then."

"Hmm…I wonder if I should." Naruto grinned teasingly. "Guess it would depend on how much you pay me."

Tackling the blond on the bed, Sasuke released between loving lips. "How about my life?"

"Nah, I need something more precious…."

"More precious than my life?"

"Yes, how about those sheets from last year that got you straight As in all of your midterms?"

Sasuke tried to hold himself not to crack like popcorn, but the small laugh had to slip from his sealed lips. "Of course, you can have all of them!"

Naruto just grinned like the idiot he was and pulled the handsome man into his arms, not wanting to wake up if this really turned out to be one of the many dreams he had with Sasuke holding him tenderly in his arms.

* * *

"We should get back, Naruto, this isn't a good idea."

Naruto rolled his eyes at the raven beside him; he put the umbrella over their heads as the drizzly rain poured over them. "You said you liked walks under the rain, and I'm here taking you on a walk under the rain, be happy."

"Firstly, you gave me enough happiness in my bedroom earlier to last me a whole lifetime, and secondly, I like to see where I'm walking when I'm taking a walk in the rain, Dobe."

Naruto had to stop his eyes from rolling as he said. "Just think of me as your eyes, okay? And there's no such thing as enough happiness!"

Sasuke sighed at the cold air that hit his chest and allowed himself to be led. He felt the hand grabbing his tighten and sure thing, if he was able to see, there will be a big stupid grin plastering all over Naruto's lips.

"Where are we, anyway?"

"Walking on the grand park close to your estate of a house, Ita-nii allowed me only to take you here, he said once you recover, we can walk anywhere we want, but for now, we can only go this far. It's sad actually, since I wanted to take you to another place. But," Naruto spared a look at the park they were in, "this place isn't half bad, either."

"Why are you taking orders from him?"

"First thing, they aren't orders, they are requests. And second thing, it's just that; like it or not, he thinks of your best interest before anything else at heart. And I'll never do anything to jeopardize that. So, I'm going to change the subject now since I don't want to fight with you about how much your big brother loves you. About our basketball club, we have three more games left and we'll win the Interhigh, did you know that?"

Sasuke pulled Naruto close and released his left hand from the tan hold to wrap it around Naruto's shoulder, bringing them closer together.

"I did, Neji informs me with news of the team, and you."

"Me?"

"Yes, I haven't been able to see you so I wanted him to tell me what is new with you. He said that you've been hanging out with the bubblegum-haired Haruno chick a lot."

Naruto grinned at the jealousy. "And you're jealous."

"Don't I have the right to be? You're cute and she used to be in your heart. All the factors for you both getting together are present, can't I have the right to feel threatened?"

"I don't think you need to feel threatened at all, Sasuke. I love you. You, not her. Sakura is just a friend, and I'll sing it to you how many times you want 'till you get it through your thick skull. I love you!"

Sasuke stopped moving and turned his head to where Naruto was supposed to be. "Can you tell it to her?"

"To Sakura? Yeah, why not? I could tell it to the whole world if it will make you sleep in peace."

"You know how they'll react to it, society doesn't really open its arms to homosexuals, you'll get prejudiced on in life and most likely discriminated against. Can you live with that?"

Naruto released a big sigh and pulled Sasuke's lips close to his in a mouth-watering kiss. The raven picked up on a few surprised gasps from the people who were in the park alongside the sound of a woman taking her children away from them, obviously not wanting her beautiful kids to be affected with the wrongs in the world. Sasuke smirked as Naruto moved away and began walking them again.

"As I said, I will shout it to the whole world if necessary. I know people might treat me like shit, curse me and call me names, but there will always be people who would accept me for who I am. And honestly Sasuke, if a person doesn't want to see us together; he or she should just go fuck themselves!"

"Such a sudden courage, where did it come from?"

Naruto smiled into the faint rain. "From you almost dying on me. I can't bear to lose you just because I'm scared of the world. You're far more important that what people think of me."

"Then, I have to thank Deidara for shooting me that day."

Sasuke was hit softly on the arm. "Don't say stuff like that, you'll jinx us. And Sasuke," Blue orbs turned concerned but Sasuke had no way into seeing, so Naruto voiced his worry. "What happened to Deidara and Sasori-san?"

"Why ask about them?"

"I want to know, they didn't really kill him, right?"

The concern was obvious to Sasuke's ears; so he shook his head assuring the blond of it. "No, they didn't. I didn't allow it since nothing serious has happened to me."

"Phew! That's good then. So, where is Sasori-san? I haven't seen him in a while."

"Well, Deidara is being held captive in one of our facilities, and Sasori chose to keep watch over him. And since I heard he had acted up on Deidara's defence, things are all messed up since some members wish to have him imprisoned as well. They think that Sasori may aid Deidara in escaping the prison."

"What does Ita-nii think about doing?"

Sasuke released a tired air and put a hand over his head. "He wants the two of them dead, for hurting me."

"Oh no! That's awful!"

"I know. And I won't let it happen, trust me. I know why Sasori has done what he has done and the same goes for Deidara and I do believe they have suffered enough pain," Sasuke turned his head to where he thought Naruto's face was and continued, "We have all suffered enough pain."

Naruto smiled softly into the face apposite of his and wished to take Sasuke's hand again to give his love another kiss in public which was going to have the people shouting out ridiculous names at them and maybe even start throwing stuff. And he didn't wish for Sasuke to come close to any harm right now, so, having nothing in his power to do, Naruto settled for a squeeze to the hand around his shoulders.

"Come on, I bet you're tired of walking."

Naruto started taking them to where the seats were, he looked for a bench that didn't have many raindrops on it and guided them to sit. He winced at the cold bench and hoped that Sasuke's body wouldn't get affected by it.

"Comfortable?" He asked with a hopeful tone.

"Will be."

Naruto nodded and they remained in silence. Only the sound of children playing in the newly formed mud with their childish laughter and the calming sound of the drizzly rain was their heavenly background music. The blond found a serene smile flatter on his lips, the memories of when he was a kid, and was still happily living with his mother and father, came back to him upon seeing a boy with blue eyes being helped off the swings by his laughing father because the drizzly rain was starting to be a bit much. It reminded him of when he and his father would go play by themselves at a playground forcing his mother to hunt them down and force them to abide by the weather's rules.

Yes, this was one of the few times that he would feel the true meaning of losing his parents and how he much he misses them.

"I think it started out like a day like this**.**"

Naruto was taken from his own thoughts by the soft whisper his love was making; he turned attentive eyes at him. "Excuse me?"

"The day I lost everything. It started out as a calm day just like this one. I remember how excited I was, my father has finally trusted me enough to allow me and my mother to stay home alone while he and Itachi went to our summer house, to take care of some businesses. At that time, I was very attached to Itachi, but when giving the choice between his company and mother's, I would always choose mother's. It was because she was very sickly, and I would rarely find a time to spend with her. That's why, when father gave me the order to protect her, I jumped from happiness to finally be acknowledged as a worthy Uchiha."

Naruto knew how hard it was for Sasuke to be telling him these specific details about his life. So, he put his right hand over Sasuke's left and encouraged him silently to continue telling his tale.

"The events after my father and Itachi left all happened in a flash. I was caught up in the garden, picking up some roses for her since she felt like drinking rose's scented tea and I took it upon myself to make it for her since she never asked me for anything, but as I was happily being an idiot, I overlooked the guards shifting and Danzo's men taking over. I saw him as he was walking out of my mother's room. I saw the sinister smile on his face and I knew he had done something to her. But by the time I got to her room, to her, everything I loved was gone. My mother was peacefully sleeping on her bed. The doctor said she died softly in her sleep, but I knew better, he'd killed her. He's used some twisted drug and was feeding it to her day by day, using one of his inside men to do it. And still, as little as I was and as powerless as I was, I was unable to do anything for her."

Sasuke took a moment to make the guilt inside his heart lessen enough for him to speak. It was hard, but he had to do it, he had to tell a soul about what was eating him away, about the sins he'd committed that day and about always holding this pain that seemed attached to his soul by now.

"When we got the news about father and Itachi, and the fire that had happened in our summer house, I Knew it was his doing, Danzo's doing. But I couldn't do anything since his men infiltrated our house and were stationed in every corner. I was hopeless, and helpless. The pain of not being able to do anything was too much for me to bear, so I blocked it all out and in a complete state of desperation, I tried to kill myself."

Naruto's eyes wend wide for a minute but then he understood, he had also thought about ending his life when he was a child, and he knew if he didn't have Iruka in his life, he would have gone and done just that. So, he squeezed his tan hand on Sasuke's; assuring him that he was still listening and was familiar with that desire.

"I tried it three times; the first time, I had no idea how to kill myself, because I was a mere seven year old kid who knew nothing about the world, so, I jumped off into the pond beside my room, but it wasn't as deep as I wished, and was rescued with only a head pump. The second, I tried to fall from one of our hotel stores, but again, a guard saw me and I got away with a few broken bones, finally, my third attempt, I slashed randomly at my body, I would say that was the worst suicide attempt I had ever tried, for it hurt like hell. It was also a failure because even though I did it inside my room with the doors locked, Kakashi has found me and, against my will, he rescued me to a doctor. After, he gave me a lecture on how bad it was to want to kill myself and how my dead family members would feel if they saw me like this."

"Did it work? Was that really your last try at it?"

Sasuke released a small smile for finally hearing his love's voice since he started pouring his old past out.

"No, I was more impressed with his anger than affected really, so the idea of killing myself was still there. But officially, there are only three attempts since the last one I tried; I stopped myself before I anything bad happens."

"What was it?"

Sasuke stood up and tugged on the hand linking him to Naruto. "It's getting colder and I think the rain is pouring harder, let's head back."

"Wait! Tell me first! The house will still be there after you finish!"

Smiling fully at the pout he knew was present, Sasuke reasoned. "At home, Naruto. Come on we have to hurry, I can sense the rain coming."

Not commenting on the improvement of his love's senses, Naruto stood up following his motion. He steered them towards the exit, and made sure that there was nothing that would trip Sasuke in his path as they neared the big huge estate. Getting inside, Naruto nodded to the front door guards since they have become friends by now –due to the chase they did with him this afternoon. And finally they neared Sasuke's room. But before they could make their way inside, a calm voice called behind them.

"I hope you've enjoyed your little walk."

Naruto perked at the voice and Sasuke tried to remain as passive as ever, even though he was letting go of his resentment towards his big brother and right now his leader, he was still steps away from acting all brotherly and lovingly with him like he used to do.

"We did, Ita-nii!"

"How about you, Sasuke? Did you enjoy it, as well?"

Sasuke nodded to the place where the voice was coming from. "It was pleasant."

Naruto almost flew out of his clothes from happiness, and from Itachi's facial expression, the little steps Sasuke was making to try and mend what was broken didn't go undetected to his ears.

Sasuke felt a familiar feeling creep down to the forgotten part of his heart when the somewhat cold hand found its way towards his hair and a small pat was delivered to it.

"I'm very glad to hear that, maybe one day the three of us can go somewhere together, what do you think?"

Naruto knew who the question was for and he nudged his newly defined boyfriend to answer. Feeling a bit rushed to figure out what the familiar feeling was, Sasuke released a swift answer for his big brother.

"Maybe."

And it was good enough for Itachi to take for now, feeling like maybe; just maybe, he didn't lose his entire right to be Sasuke's older brother. With that, he said his goodbyes to the two, and left them be.

As soon as Sasuke hit his own bed, the drizzly rain they just came in from turned into a heavy downpour in a second. He nodded to Naruto about how right he was for them to leave before this heavy storm had them bedridden with pneumonia, and Naruto just rolled his eyes at him.

"Sasuke, you still haven't told me what that fourth attempt of yours was!"

"Oh, that, it was easy, I swallowed some pills that I stole from one of the maids' cabinets here. The funny thing was that when I did that, the pills had a horrible side effect to them, they made me extra hyper, and so, I had to find something to do with myself. That day, I remember going through my old stuff and amazingly, I found my old basketball…and then I remembered how Itachi and I would spend our days competing with each other, and how every time he would beat me at, I'd promise to beat him one day. Then, after all those memories came back, I went to play some basketball with myself, and as I was doing this, I felt for the first time since my family was gone that I didn't want to die, yet, that there was something in this world that I still wanted to do. So, I went to my bedroom and threw up all the pills I had taken."

"So, ironically, your last attempt at suicide is what made you realize you didn't want suicide."

"Yes. And I'm glad it did, 'cause it would have been very amusing to meet you when I'm dead."

Naruto released a soundly chuckle. "Yeah, I think I'll be very freaked out if a ghost came on to me."

"Oh," Sasuke snatched Naruto by the hand, tackling him to the bed. "I believe you'd be wooed by my handsomeness and you'd fall to your knees the next minute begging for me to take you as my lover, regardless of me being a ghost."

"I think your ego is failing you here, babe."

"Then how about I just demonstrate how much you will want me, babe?" Sasuke mimicked.

Using his natural charm to his advances, Sasuke glued his lips to the laughing lips of Naruto and trapped him in a passionate deep kiss that left them both panting for air. Naruto wasn't one to back out easily, so he easily pinned Sasuke on the bed, and sat triumphantly over him with his knees on either sides of Sasuke's midsection and his hands hugging Sasuke's head.

"If that's the best you can do to win me, then you have a long way ahead of you, Sasuke."

And Naruto stole those rosy lips into his own, grinning when he forced his way inside his beloved's mouth and played as much as he wished there. He released him to take a gulp of air before diving in again, but the thunder that struck so suddenly had Naruto jolt to Sasuke's side with every sexual battle he was thinking of ever having with Sasuke, blown to the back of his mind.

"We are scared now, aren't we?"

The smirk was obvious to the blond**;** he hit Sasuke softly on the arm. "Shut up, 'm not scared, just a bit…surprised."

"Yeah right, surprised."

"I am!"

"Sure."

"I honestly am!"

"I didn't say otherwise."

Naruto felt a pout form at the corner of his mouth. "But you don't believe me either."

"Let aside what I believe and let's just sleep, I'm too tired, every muscle in my body aches."

"Now that you mention it, I haven't slept today at all, I was forced to wake up extra early even though today is a day off because Sakura came over to help me study…and then I rushed here and we didn't do anything relaxing still."

"Okay, then let me call in one of the maids to prepare a room for you since you have no desire ever of going home tonight."

Sasuke's hand was stopped from doing whatever they did around here when they needed to call on maids and if he was able to see, he knew he'd be looking at big pleading puppy dog eyes.

"What, Naruto?"

"Do I really need to sleep in another room? Can't I just sleep here with you?"

"If you don't mind being jumped at night, sure." Sasuke replied sarcastically.

"Come on, Sasuke! You're too tired to do anything to me!"

"In that aspect, I don't trust myself."

"But I trust you."

"Then you're an idiot."

"Sasuke! Don't be like that, how about I sleep on the floor then? I'm sure your family has one or two futons laying around, I can just borrow one."

"No, Naruto just the thought of you sleeping in the same space as me, flares me. You have to be in another room so I can feel assured I will not wake up in the middle of the night and rape you! And that's it!"

Puffing his lips when he was pushed aside for the pale hand to push on a button that was placed on the right of the bed, Naruto crossed his arms at having to sleep at a different room when he was finally able to come visit Sasuke's house for a sleepover. And as the door to Sasuke's room was opened**,** revealing that red haired woman that Naruto came to know as Sasuke's own personal butler, the blond's expression didn't improve one bit.

* * *

"Why are you doing this?" A faint whisper that collided with the iron bars shackling his every move rose in the darkness surrounding them.

"I had time on my hands, and I said 'why not? I'm bored anyways.'"

Golden locks fell so softly when their owner lowered his head, biting his already dry lips. "That's not a good enough reason."

"It is to me."

"You had a good life building before you, by doing this, helping me like this, you're ruining it."

Sasori's mouth released a smile. "What I had was a calm life. You know I hate staying calm."

"No, you don't. You're always calm."

"Don't you just know me too much?"

"I don't. I just…"

And Sasori didn't pressure his friend to complete those words. The cell Deidara was placed in had a vintage smell to it, and even though it was made modern, Sasori could smell the faint blood scent that circulated the parameter, indicating how many different prisoners had been confined and tortured within this cell's walls. It was his own choice to be confined here with Deidara, for as long as they wished to imprison him, he'd be with Deidara. The brown haired man spared a glance at the hopeless young man sitting a few meters away from him. Deidara had definitely seen better days. The blond hair that he loved so much was filled with dirt and sweat and the once alive complexion had turned pale and lifeless. Deidara was withering away and there was nothing he could do about it.

This was their third week being here, and Sasori knew how exhausted the other was. Their meals weren't being tended to, and the treatment they were getting was not as much as he liked it to be. On the surface, they said he was the guard for Deidara. But he knew, right now, no, from the moment he opened his lips saying words in Deidara's defence, he had been marked as nothing but a traitor, and he wouldn't have it any other way.

"You're a moron."

"I don't want to be told that by the person who so foolishly pointed a gun at his future leader."

"He isn't my leader," Deidara released within clinched teeth, "I will never admit him as one. A person like him, knowing no pain, living life as he wanted, and on top of that getting the privilege to love and lead a happy life, that kind of person…that kind of person is better off dead!"

Sasori sighed and crossed the small distance separating them, he kneeled and with his still functioning right hand raised the sorrow-filled face to meet his gaze. At the startled orbs, he blew a hot air from his mouth.

Not having enough strength to push the other away, Deidara was only able to turn his face away, revealing so faintly his other hidden eye. Sasori gave off a smile.

"Have you come back to your senses, yet? You know as well as I do that Sasuke-sama's life was everything but easy. He suffered his share of the pain, and even now, he is still suffering. He wasn't as fortunate as you having a person to relay on from point one. Because from the beginning, he could only come across enemies and the only ally he was able to secure was a brown ball."

"What do you mean me fortunate?! Fortune was never a friend of mine. I have lived my life depending only on myself! No one was ever there for me."

Sasori's calm face turned a bit angry. "Deidara, I knew you were stupid, but not to this degree. You had me! I was there with you every step on the way, what do you think I have been trying to do all of these years sticking in a family that I wasn't even related to by blood?!"

Deidara's face turned free of all emotions at those words, and his brain refused to process the letters being thrown at him. "W-What do you mean not related by blood? Your mother was an Uchiha…wasn't she?"

Short red locks moved with the shaking of their owner's head. "No, she wasn't. She was only a maid who tended to the late Mikoto-sama and was provided the privilege of being named an Uchiha when she was pregnant with a boy from a person outside of the family. Had they known about this, she would have lost her head. That's why the late Mikoto-sama pleaded with the late Fugaku-sama to give my mother protection by making her an Uchiha and secretly adopting her into the family."

"But…what about your father?"

"He wasn't my real father, the late leader made him marry my mother to secure that no doubts about where I came from arise and they find out that my mother was never an Uchiha. And since he was already in love with her, he agreed to it."

"...No, that can't be…if…if it's true, then you mean to tell me that you and I…that we aren't fucking related!"

Sasori didn't avoid the hard push he was given. It was to be expected, he'd hid this truth from the day that old servant that had posed as his father for all these years finally cracked and informed him of his true origins, and even though he wanted nothing but to disbelieve him; the results that came out when he investigated further were absolute. There was no where he could run to from the truth and he had to come in terms with who he was by force.

"When did you find out?" Deidara asked after a while of a much needed silence.

"When I was fourteen."

"Then…" A shaky voice resonated in the locked up cell, "you were just lying to me all of these fucking years!"

Sasori bit his lips at the traces of tears threatening to fall down. He made a notion to stand up and go closer to the betrayed other but Deidara's eyes told him that it would be a very bad idea to do so, so Sasori sat in his place and tried to explain.

"I wasn't lying, I was just not telling you all there is. I was merely afraid of losing you. If you had found out that I wasn't a part of the family, you would have completely shut me out. You would not want anything to do with me since you value only the family. And I couldn't live apart from you. I would lose my path if you were not beside me."

"And by lying you thought I'd stay by your side?!"

"I…just wanted to spend as much time with you as possible. And even if you wounded up hating me, it would be enough to just know that I had a few more years with you."

Deidara clenched his clothes as his right eye released a tear. Yes, he felt like shit right now. He had always thought that no matter what life threw at him, he would be able to cope with it, and live past it, because he knew Sasori was always there beside him, that blood was always thicker than water, that no matter what wrongs he was doing or who he was serving under, Sasori would always be there with him, because they were family. But now…what was he to do?

How would he live past this betrayal?

"I always thought we were brothers, that you'd always be there for me and I'd always be there for you…"

Sasori's heart refused that statement and since he had already wrecked everything, he was sure to state his reasons for it.

"I have never thought of you as a brother, well, not since I knew who I am."

Okay, he was prepared for everything, but hearing it being stated to him so bluntly, Deidara felt his core shake. Why were bad things always happening to him? Who did he anger in his past life to be treated this way? His only resolve was pressing hard on his shackled hands 'till blood seeped free from his them, indicating that even though his heart was as numb as ever, he was still alive.

"Get out…I don't want to see you."

"Unfortunately, I won't be able to do that seeing as how I'm in this mess with you."

"Well, you can just fucking tell them what you've just told me! That you have nothing to do with me! That we aren't fucking brothers or anything! I will back you up, so fucking disappear!"

"Deidara," Sasori looked with calm brown eyes at the mess on the floor, his heart squeezed when he saw the blood and what his words has done, but he couldn't do it like this, this wasn't right, he had to tell him the whole truth. Watching Deidara hurt like this, wasn't giving him any satisfaction. "I love you."

"..."

With slow steps, he walked towards the other. "Deidara, raise your head and look at me."

"…"

"Deidara, I'm crazily in love with you! Why do you think I still stayed after knowing I wasn't part of this blood-thirst, pain-filled family?! It's because I couldn't leave you alone. I've loved you all my life, and not as a brother, but as a man. I would tell it to you as many times as you want to hear it. I love you!"

"Stop. Don't say anything anymore. Just leave me."

"Dei-"

"LEAVE ME!"

Deidara's bloody hands were covering his head; shaking with disbelieve, anger, shock, sorrow and the pain he was trying so hard to withstand. All of these emotions were obviously too much for his fragile malnourished body to bear right now and before Sasori could release any other word from his mouth. The blond dropped on the hard ground with a thud. And that's how Sasori's heart came to break in two.

* * *

**Okie! There! Finished. It was a hard chapter to write, since I was inside a damn block for over two weeks now and wasn't able to write a single sentence, but there you have it, folks! Tell me what you think? :D I love Deidara's character and it would have killed me if I didn't write him in the story as nothing but a bad-guy. Thanks for reading! **


	13. Chapter Thirteen

**Author's Notes:**

**Alright, so here we are. This would be, sadly, the last chapter. I hope you like what you've read so far. As I've had a really great time into writing this story and messing up some characters' lives, I wish my lovely readers have enjoyed reading it…lol. So, thanks to you, XxDreaming of RealityxX, for giving me a light to guide myself with -when you agreed to beta this story, 'cause without you, I'll still be stuck in chapter five. And thanks to my lovely readers, for clicking this story 'till this final chapter. I hope that my story had made you laugh, have fun and adore the fact that you're alive, even for a little while, because that's –in my opinion, what stories should do. Now, I leave you to it, and as always, enjoy~ :D**

* * *

Naruto bit hard on his lips as Kakashi's hands started removing the bandage from Sasuke's eyes. It was finally the date when they would see for sure if the operation was a success or not. He crossed his fingers, waiting patiently for the result to turn out positive and for Sasuke's eyes to see once more. Kakashi finished unwrapping the bandage and removed the two gauzes placed to help sterilize the area around the eyes, not to get any infection. As far as he knew, Sasuke should have been now able to see just fine, if the operation was a success; yes, they'd have some complications along the way, but in the end, they were able to do what they needed to do inside Sasuke's eyes.

Taking a deep breath, the ophthalmologist spoke with confidence. "Alright, Sasuke, open your eyes now."

The suspense was in the air, and every single individual present was holding his breath. Sasuke nodded and so slowly fluttered his long eyelashes to open up the jewels inside. Naruto was the first to release a yelp, Sasuke's beautiful eyes, finally! For a period more than two months, he was finally able to come face to face with those orbs he loved so much.

"So? Can you see?"

At the shook that came from Sasuke's head, Naruto felt his heart sink and his excitement die down. "Nothing. It's the same darkness. Are you sure you didn't mess up something inside while you were operating on me?"

Kakashi scowled at his still blind cousin. "No, everything went perfectly well. How about you trying blinking, your eyes might just try to cope with the sudden light."

Sasuke blinked a few times and sighed. "It's the same. I still can't see."

"This is weird."

"Let me check, then." Tsunade made herself known to the group of men present and walked with confidence to Sasuke, Kakashi made her some room and she came inspecting Sasuke's eyes, she looked and instructed him to move it up and down and sideways, after, she pulled out her small flashlight and looked keenly inside the eyes, finally taking it back into the lab coat, she said. "Everything is fine. His eyes should be functioning normally."

"Then what theories do you have for them not functioning? Something wrong must still be going on or his eyes would be able to see by now." Itachi spoke not satisfied with the results being given to him.

"Well, it can always be his psych. You know how sometimes when you don't feel like doing something; your whole body responds to it by decreasing the blood flow to the muscles and you feel ache all over?" Tsunade clarified.

The long haired raven nodded. "Then your point is that Sasuke's brain is refusing his eyes the ability to see?"

"It is a possibility. We can only be sure of this after further tests." Kakashi answered this time.

Naruto made his way close to Sasuke's side and grabbed the pale hands that were just lying there, into his own. Sasuke quickly released a reassuring smile for the sake of his trouble boyfriend and squeezed back the tan hands.

"I'm fine, Naruto. Stop worrying."

"I haven't said anything."

"I can feel it."

And feeling too shy to publicly give the kiss he wanted so much to give to Sasuke right now, Naruto nodded, keeping his emotions in check, and waited patiently for the adults present to take up their conversation on the best course of treatment for Sasuke's eyes outside. His blue orbs watched as Itachi gave his baby brother a pat on the head and said in a whisper some words only for Sasuke to hear. And he stayed out of it.

Naruto gave a smile as Itachi nodded to him to stay with Sasuke as they see what they were going to do outside. Turning to the teen lying with a nonchalant expression on the hospital bed, the blond's face broke into a soft expression.

"How are you feeling?"

"Would it be weird if I said I'm peaceful?"

"Not weird. Just unexpected. Would you mind telling me why?"

"I can't understand it myself, but somehow, I knew. And even though I dreaded the moment when I won't be able to see a thing for eternity, now that I'm faced with the possibility that I may permanently be unable to see, I feel peaceful. Like every doubt, every pain that was associated with my fear of this day has finally left me be. And I can view things in a new light. Maybe losing my sight is the right course for things to go right now."

Naruto's brows furred together, not accepting his boyfriend's words like he seemed to. "I hope you're not thinking something along the lines of 'this is my redemption to my mother and myself for what I've done'?"

"That's exactly it. And the fact that I feel at ease only backs it up. This is how I should redeem myself."

"Sasuke, I may not be the smartest person alive, and I hardly believe in anything religious either. But what I know and am sure of is that you can't build up losing something important as redeeming to stuff you were never able to avoid. Okay, maybe trying to kill yourself would have been avoided, but on the circumstances that you were facing, I do believe it was justified, you were only a seven years old kid, I don't think God punishes children. Children are innocent. If there is anyone that needs to redeem himself, it would be that Danzo guy that had you suffer hell at such an early age."

Sasuke shook his head, refusing his love's words. "I understand what you're trying to say, but they are only excuses, for my failure. It doesn't matter how old I was, I should have seen it coming, and I should have tried to protect her. Now that I know what's what, I feel very clam and tranquil to be punished this way."

Naruto released a sigh and chose to let this subject rest at the moment, because as much as he loved Sasuke, he wanted nothing more than to hit him to a damn pulp for the silly words he seemed to believe in so much. And the words that Tsunade-sensei has said about Sasuke's psych refusing to allow him to see, were ringing inside his brain making him think that maybe, she wasn't so far off from the whole truth as he thought she was at the beginning.

The door being opened relieved him any further thoughts as Kakashi started telling both of them about the decisions they have made as doctors concerning Sasuke's condition, and as a member of his family about how Sasuke should start on with his normal life as soon as possible and not to let this setback forbid him from behaving in any different way from his usual self. Naruto listened with the utmost care, until he was asked to step out for they needed to start on a different round of tests for Sasuke's sake.

* * *

"Did you see?"

"Yes. My heart broke in two when I did!"

"I can't believe it, this is a disaster! He was away for a while and they said he was on a trip to Paris, but now…"

"Yes, it was a good cover up! I'm still too shocked to believe it. Why did this have to happen to the handsomest guy in this whole damn school?!"

"I know, right? There are so many ugly guys out there, why couldn't this happen to them?!"

"God is so not fair!"

"You said that right, sister!"

Sakura rolled her eyes at her two classmate sitting two seats behind her. It was finally made public that Sasuke Uchiha, the pride of Konoha High and the Prince of the whole female population – well, the ones that had no life on their hands except fawning on who's hot and who's not, had gone blind. And the rumours that were always circulating about how he was to go blind one day, had finally been confirmed. Sakura sighed when the girls behind her started doing a memorial service for Sasuke's dead eyes. She stood up from her seat and started heading out of the classroom, in search of her best friend.

It was the fifth day since Sasuke had come to school announcing that he was unable to see but assuring his teachers that he would still be able to function properly and keep his academic record the way it was. Some teachers were reluctant to this and insisted that he takes a course for the blind and maybe think of another school beside this one but, as Naruto had told Sakura, Sasuke refused this and insisted that they test him with the upcoming examination, that if his academic record was to drop, he'd be happy to leave to a more specialized school.

She sighed for the umpteenth time that day. In her opinion, Sasuke was just being stupid; it was unheard of that a blind person could take examinations for normal people! Let's say he was being aided into reading the questions, how would he answer? Would he be allowed to verbalize his answers? But then that will not be fair, as the time they needed to write an answer and the time one needs for answering a question are totally uneven, and he would thus be given the special treatment. Something she saw was not fair to those who studied their ass off all year long to pass with flying colours.

On her own thoughts' maze, she had forgotten the reason why she has left her classroom in the first place; remembering that Naruto was in fact the reason, she quickly made a detour upstairs knowing that her best friend would surely be slacking off in the roof, as he has made a habit of this for a while now. As far as she knew, Naruto's basketball team has finished all of their finals, and had won the first place in the Interhigh. Naruto had participated and was known right now in the basketball society as the kid that grinned like a fox and had the speed of one too.

Her long legs halted to a stop when she heard the laughter of her best friend come from behind the door. Taking a peek, her jade eyes rolled at the sight of the blind raven being overly comfortable with Naruto. And even though she refused to admit it due to her proud soul, she was a bit jealous at the view beside her. And it wasn't that she was still harbouring feelings for the dick, no, it was because she was feeling that her friend was slowly slipping from her company. For every time they would come together, Naruto's mouth and mind would be filled with only one subject, Sasuke.

Deciding that he needed some punishment for always blowing her off like that, Sakura intruded on the two lovers' time.

"This is sickening!"

Naruto was jolted from Sasuke's lap at the familiar voice; he smiled cheekily at the apparently dissatisfied female. "S-Sakura-chan?"

"Naruto, you know I have nothing against you two being together, but please, can you tune down on the mushiness when you're at school?"

"…W-well…no one is here, so…"

"Say that someone else, beside me decided to come to the roof just this moment for some fresh air, what would you do if they caught you here?"

"No one comes here." Sasuke made his presence known by hooking one of his hands loosely on one of Naruto's shoulders and glaring at the place he thought Sakura was in and failing miserably.

"I'm not trying to criticize you here, I just wanted Naruto to be aware of this, because even if you're alright with him being bullie-"

"Sakura!"

The pink haired girl flipped her ponytail and scowled at Naruto. "Oh shush you. He needs to know this if he wants to be so lovey-dovey with you within school, you can't keep him in the dark about something this important."

"Naruto? What is she talking about?"

Looking the other way from the love of his life, the tan teen glared silently at Sakura who 'hmph'ed ignoring him. Because to her, Naruto's wellbeing was more important than his satisfaction.

"Since he is refusing to tell you, I will. Ever since you had made friends with Naruto, he was being bullied by your female fan club. It quieted down when you were in the hospital, but now that you're back, he is being bullied again, and especially since you are not ashamed to say that he is yours and you're his. He was withstanding shit from the moment he'd known you at!"

"Sakura! Enough! It's not Sasuke's fault so stop making it sound as if it is!"

"He needs to know!"

"And you've told him! Mind leaving us alone right now?"

Sakura pouted at this and marched downstairs, not sparing her best friend a look back, and she wouldn't, because she had done nothing wrong. If Sasuke was really serious into this relationship, he should've realized what his actions were doing to her best friend, and she wasn't about to sugar coat it to him either!

Naruto watched as Sakura slammed the rooftop's door behind her; he sighed and looked at the raven that removed his arm away from his shoulder.

"Sasuke?"

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because it was of no importance. The pranks began as something small, like taking my notebook and throwing it in the water, or shredding it to pieces, which didn't matter 'cause I always had Sakura's notes to copy from."

"It still wouldn't justify not telling me, and if they were so minor, your friend wouldn't sound so pissed."

"Had I told you, you'd go around doing something uncalled for, and getting yourself in trouble for hitting a girl, which at that time I didn't think you'll not do. And as to Sakura being pissed, it's because a few days back, I found some nails in my gym shoes." Naruto chuckled. "How old fashioned, right? I felt like the nerdy girl in a shoujo manga where the other girls start to harass her because she was dating their target. I didn't know whether I should be laughing or be worried that they will start on plotting my murder."

Sasuke didn't like the way Naruto seemed to be going on dealing with this; his boyfriend was too careless and something had to be done before this bullying subject escalated.

"Tell the teachers."

"No can do, Sasuke. Since I have no one to accuse, and honestly, I don't want to, sooner or later, they'll stop. There is nothing fun in trying to bully me, I'm a man, I can stand up for myself if things were detouring. But I can understand it, their desire to cause me discomfort for stealing you away from them, I understand that feeling very well."

A fine brow was raised at those words and Sasuke's mouth turned into a smirk. "And who, by all means, did you wish to kill to win me?"

"It's not wanting to kill, per say, and not the same situation, but I understand where their desire comes from. When you were away, I felt the pain of parting from you and never being able to see you again were too much. So yeah, if I were to see you with another person, kissing and going out, I would want to hurt that person, or at least make his or her life a living hell for a while, that's why I understand them. And I will not report them; I'll wait 'till they are all satisfied and comfortable to see me stand by your side, because honestly Sasuke, what all those girls do is just loving you. And love isn't such a bad thing, so I don't think they need to be punished for that."

"When they start being irrational and hurt you, they need to be. Naruto, I'll give this matter one week and one week only, if this bullying doesn't stop, I'll take matters into my own hands, and you know I don't make empty threats."

"Sasuke, stop taking everything so seriously!" Naruto pouted moving himself closer to the other.

"When it's about hurting you, it's serious."

"They're not hurting. They're just blowing steam, nothing wrong with that."

"One week or else!"

Rolling his blue orbs, Naruto nodded and had to seal those lips with a kiss to change the stressful atmosphere Sakura's words had so foolishly placed them into.

* * *

"Something is not right with Naruto."

Kakashi raised a brow from the book he was reading and directed his attention to his brown haired lover. "And why would you think that?"

"He is what? About to turn seventeen now, and he is still without a girlfriend. I know he had a thing for Sakura-chan, but she didn't give off the vibe that she was interested in him, and when they are together, I only see that they are very close friends. No love is there."

Kakashi had to close the book as the subject he tried so hard to avoid having to ever have with Iruka came back to haunt him, reminding him that really, there was no way to escape this.

"Why not just talk to him about it? Ask him what's new with his love life."

"I would if I could. Somehow, it feels like he's avoiding me every time I start to talk to him about this."

"Hmm…then trap him."

"Trap him?"

"Yes. Like ambush him, one day when he comes back from school and after he takes his rest, go up to his room, lock the door and force him to pour everything out for you."

"Kakashi, it's not like it's something extreme for him not wanting me to be a part of his private life, and I won't be dealing with him as if he is a criminal and go do what you've just suggested. I just want him to want to tell me, not me forcing myself on him."

"You're his father; you have the right to force everything on him."

Iruka handed the cup of coffee that he'd just prepared to his boyfriend and smiled as he was pulled to sit on the other's lap replacing the huge medical book that was put on the wooden table for a different time.

"I wouldn't know how to face Minato-san if I did."

"I think he would be grateful for the things you've already done for Naruto so far, that he'd look over it if you were to press a bit hard on his son just this once."

"Even if he is satisfied with that, I won't. As I told you, I want him to want to let me in."

"Teenagers will never want you in. that's just how their hormones work. If you want to know something from them, you have to force it out."

Iruka sighed and blew on the mug in his hands. "Let's say I took your advice, these days, Naruto is hardly home. He is always off with Sasuke-kun and is never home. When he comes back it's always too late for us to have a decent conversation since he just goes to stuff his face with food and then sleeps."

"Then when he is stuffing his face with food, go and talk to him."

"I tried once. But all I got were absentminded answers. I have no idea what to do."

Kakashi gave a soft kiss to the nape that was begging him to, and gently took the mug free from Iruka's hands to turn him over and look into those lost chocolate orbs he adored so much.

"Then answer me this and I hope by it, you'll stop being confused."

"Hmm…will it help me?"

"I hope."

"Okay then, what do you want to know?"

"Do you believe that Naruto is normal?"

Frowning at the question, Iruka asked for some clarifications. "Normal as in what sense? His attitude? His language? Behavioural? Academic?"

"The sexual sense."

"Sexual? He'd be straight, right? Since he was in love with Sakura. And as far as I can remember, Naruto had always had feelings for females only…why? Did he tell you something? Do you know something I don't, Kakashi?"

The silver haired smiled and kissed the other avoiding the rain of questions. "That's why I said you two need to start by talking."

"Hatake Kakashi!" Iruka removed himself from the comfortable lap and stood –after placing the hot mug in a safe distance, putting his hands on his hips glaring down on the doctor. "What did my stupid son tell you?"

"He didn't say anything. I just have good eyes. And I won't tell you anything either, because it's his business to tell, not mine. You have to talk this out with him, and please Iruka, don't put me in this position, I hate keeping secrets from you, but I can't betray a secret I have been entrusted with. So, just talk with your son, and clear everything up, because holding secrets is really annoying."

Iruka scowled at him, and put a hand under his chin. "Since when do you know of this secret?"

"I can't tell you that either, since you'll figure out the secret if I do. Talk to Naruto."

Kakashi picked up on the somewhat cold coffee right now and took back the medical book he was reading signalling to his lover that this conversation between them has ended and if he really wanted to know more, he should go and discuss it with Naruto. Kakashi watched from the corner of his eyes as Iruka put his mug on the sink and headed towards the apartment's door.

"I'll head back now and see what it is you're hiding from me, Kakashi."

"That would be best."

Iruka nodded his goodbye and Kakashi finally allowed himself a break to breath and to finally let go of the secret those stupid two teens had been forcing him to keep for all of these months.

* * *

Sasori pressed his hands together and watched as he was given the signal to step inside from the doctor that had finally finished tending to Deidara's condition. He bit his lips, feeling responsible for the state that he'd put his lifelong best friend in. Why couldn't he keep his mouth shut!? He has done a fine job of it so far! Why not now? When he knew the bad mental and body state Deidara was in, and how he was in no position to have bombs of truth be thrown at him from every direction he turned his head into.

Forcing his self-beating to a stop, Sasori made his way inside. He was happy when he saw that whatever the doctor had given to Deidara was working and retrieving his friend back to the health he needed. He neared to inspect and the bony face ceased to be so bony with the dark cheeks finally filling in with liquids again. Sasori allowed himself the pleasure of watching over the sleeping blond.

As far as he knew, Deidara was always very proud of his hair, and he would never allow a scissor to come close to it, because as he said so many times to Sasori, it was his treasure, and the redheaded knew just why. It was the hair Deidara's grandma loved so much, and since she was the one who raised him, Deidara vowed never to cut a stand as long as he lived, the night of her funeral.

A pair of faint blue orbs opened so slowly and looked with tiredness to their right. Sasori tried to muster his best smile ever.

"Hey there, how are you feeling?"

"Wh…what are you doing here?"

"I told you, I'm in the same mess as you. I can't leave you alone even if I wanted to."

Deidara refused to look at the other and had his eyes cast on the ceiling the whole time. "I can't forgive you."

"I didn't ask you for that."

"And I will never accept your feelings."

"And I didn't ask you for that, either."

"Then why are you here? You know perfectly well that I have no desire of ever seeing you again."

"I-"

"Spare me the petty excuses, would you? If you want to leave, Itachi won't forbid you from doing so. That's something I'm sure of."

"I was about to say that I can't. Until I secure your safety, I will not leave your side, even if you hate me with everything you've got. I'll still be here to help you; because I can never forget the time we've spent together."

Deidara felt his body shake; he turned his face to the other side and muttered under hushed breaths. "You're stupid…"

"That, I may be."

The door to the hospital room they were in was opened, revealing a clearly dissatisfied long haired leader with three men following behind him. Itachi looked with disgusted eyes at the bug laying on the bed so comfortably after merely killing his baby brother, oh how much did he just wish to have a knife and no laws to abide by as he stabbed that knife over and over into the bug's pathetic body! He groaned inside his mind, telling his brotherly overprotective-ness to stop as he needed to do this without killing anyone or all the progress he was having with Sasuke would go in vein. And he'll never forgive himself if he lost his baby brother again due to mere bugs that didn't even worth the price of his shoes.

"Sasori, come."

The red haired stood up and followed after his leader; if there was one thing that he'd learnt from his days of serving under Itachi, it was that the master didn't like to repeat himself twice. He watched from the corner of his eyes as the three men tagging behind Itachi stationed themselves on the door forbidden anyone from entering and guarding the blond inside. Sasori wanted to tell them that his best friend was in no condition to walk, let alone flee, but in fear of having his tongue cut off in the presence of his leader, Sasori just walked behind the long haired man with his eyes closed.

They arrived into a room and Itachi made his way inside with Sasori tagging along. The room turned out to be an office and suddenly Sasori remembered that the Uchiha also have some hospitals on their names here and there. He should have expected that they would not allow any outsiders to tend to their own criminals; they were just too possessive like that.

"I'm about to give you the thing you want to most. Your friend's freedom."

Upon hearing those words, Sasori felt his heart shake and he had to make sure, because not every deal with Uchiha's Black Snake was a good one. "What's the price?"

"Having him removed from the family and being disowned with half of his possessions taken."

"He'll never agree to that."

"And I wish he doesn't, either. I want nothing more than to torture him for what's left of his miserable excuse for a life for daring to raise a finger let alone a gun at Sasuke. But since Sasuke seems so fond of you, and I appreciate the years you've spend in aiding me from under, risking yourself, I think you need a treat. And this is as far as I'm willing to bend. He did jeopardize Sasuke's life, but he didn't kill him. So, he can live. But away from the family. This is what I came here to inform you. I will remove every guard watching him from this point on. And you can tell him that he's no longer a part of the family."

"But, master, can't I have more time to let him know? I mean he is still recovering at the moment."

Looking at those brown orbs that served him with the utmost loyalty, Itachi felt that he had to give more than he was compromising with, and Sasori deserved more of him. He nodded, walking towards the door.

"Granted. How many days do you wish to have?"

"Three days would suffice."

"Three days it is. I will leave him in your hands from today on. If he ever does anything stupid like what he has done, I'll hunt him and you down and kill you both! Did I make myself clear?"

Sasori nodded his understanding and bowed to his master as Itachi signalled his guards to return since he was leaving. With determined eyes, Sasori returned to the room Deidara was in. It was going to be a hard fight and Deidara would not be satisfied, but he would have to make him, even if he wounded up chaining him to a fricking wall and letting him live his whole life that way, he'd do it!

* * *

"Do I need a lubricant?"

"Yes, I don't want to use oil like last time, it stuck to me and it was hard to take the smell off."

"I think Iruka has some in his closet."

Naruto ran from his room to his father's room, after five minutes, he returned with the lubricant in hand. He handed it to his boyfriend with a smile. "What else do we need?"

"Nothing, just your naked ass and my hard dick." Sasuke smirked. "And the rest will come naturally."

"So, shall we begin?"

Before Naruto's hands could come to circle around the shoulders he loved so much, Sasuke shook his head. "I don't want to do it here. I may still be blind, but Naruto, your tiny bed will forever be imprinted into my memory. We won't be very comfortable for your first time here, and I want your mind to be blown."

Naruto didn't shy away from the passionate kiss his boyfriend seemed to be aiming for, and he moved back with a lick to his lips. He didn't want to admit it, but damn! Sasuke was one sexy son of a bitch! And with every kiss, he would feel himself getting turned on more and more. With a hard push to his sexual drive to the back of his head and calming his teen hormones, Naruto nodded.

"Okay, where do you want us to do it? Your house?"

"No, I have prepared a special room in one of our hotels, remember the last time we went there and how much you enjoyed yourself?"

"Yes. Are we going to the same hotel, yet again?"

"Nah…since it's too far and I'll need to drive,"

Naruto nodded, and crossing his arms, he inquired. "So, this new hotel, is it close? Can we walk to it?"

"No need, a car is coming today just about now to take us there. Tell me, have you told Iruka that you'll be sleeping over?"

"…I didn't know I was sleeping over."

Sasuke rolled his blind orbs at his lover. "Well, you do know now, call him."

Naruto nodded and made his way downstairs to use the landline to phone Kakashi's house instead of using his cell and losing the little credit he has already. But before he could dial the number, the front door sprung open revealing the person he needed to see right about now. Naruto perked and headed towards his guardian.

"Iruka, welcome home!"

"I'm home, Naruto. It's weird to see you back so soon today."

"Well, we had no club activates, and Sasuke and I had some stuff to do at home here so…I came early."

"It's good to see you once in a while."

"Yeah, so, how was Kakashi?"

"He is just fine, the work is killing his though," Iruka made his way to the kitchen after removing his coat and poured himself a glass of water. "Say Naruto, I have something to talk to you about."

The sound of rackets from upstairs had Naruto fly like lightening up and Iruka had to wait for the mumbles to subside and for two teens to come down into his line of vision. He smiled warmly at Sasuke.

"Sasuke-kun, I didn't know you were here. How are you doing?"

"Fine. Thanks for having me here."

"Oh, it's always a pleasure," Upon noticing the bag he was carrying, Iruka asked. "Are you going back right now? Won't you stay some more? For lunch?"

Before Sasuke could respond, Naruto interrupted. "Actually Iruka, I was just about to phone you with something, I'm going to spend the night at Sasuke's. You have nothing against that, right?"

"Well, not really. But is Sasuke's family okay with you intruding?"

"They don't mind," Sasuke voiced his thoughts. "Naruto is always welcomed into my house. In fact, my big brother knows him when he was little."

"Oh, really? And your brother's name is…?"

"It's Itachi, Uchiha Itachi."

Iruka's brows linked together as the name sounded familiar to his ears, he began remembering and… finally it clicked to a certain kid. When he was still a student and working to pay for his university expenses in a restaurant, there was this one time, when Minato was still alive, he came with a child, a beautiful child that Iruka –if not knowing Minato well, would have believed he's abducted him from a TV drama or something, for the kid held a heavenly gorgeous face. In fact, it was the prettiest kid he has ever seen. And sometimes he would tease Minato about not jumping the kid when he slept.

"That's your brother?"

Sasuke nodded figuring that Iruka must've met up with Itachi when he was young and still remembered him. "Yes."

"How is he doing? I had always wanted to know what happened to that kid who had just up and left one day without saying anything. Is he alright now?"

The raven smiled feeling a bit glad that when his brother was little and needed care, he'd found it amongst good people who actually gave a damn about him. He walked with assured steps to where Iruka's voice came from and held out his hands for Iruka to take. The grown up adult did so.

"Thank you. For taking care of my brother and for still asking about him."

Iruka smiled and squeezed softly at the cold hands. "No need to, I didn't do anything actually. If you want to thank someone, you should thank Minato-san; he was the one that cared for Itachi-kun, and gave him everything he needed, be it food, money, affection or just a person to have beside him."

"Minato-san was a really wonderful person."

"That he was."

"I promise you, and him, that I'll take a very good care of Naruto, so please, give him to me!"

Iruka was dumbfounded at the words and he looked with puzzled orbs at the blind teen beside him. "Huh?"

"That's enough already! Let's go, Sasuke!" Naruto started pushing his boyfriend out of the door before he says something he still wasn't prepared to have known to his guardian. "Iruka, see you tomorrow!"

With that the front door was closed, and the hard conclusion poured over Iruka like a mountain of ice. He allowed himself a seat on his couch as a million thought came rushing at his brain, and with an angry set of eyes, he dialed the number of his assumed love.

* * *

"What were you thinking telling him that?!"

A furious Naruto said as soon as they came into the room that Sasuke's butler had prepared for them. He was keeping his calm in the car and the whole ride to this room because he didn't wish for outsiders to know about his business. But now, he was sure to give Sasuke a piece of his mind!

"I just didn't want us to have sex with you still having not told your father about us. It didn't feel right to take you when he didn't know."

"Sasuke, it's not like you're marrying me or anything, we are just having sex! You've done it countless of times so how come it's special all of a sudden?!"

At the effect of his own words, Naruto knew that he shouldn't have said that for Sasuke's face drained from all emotions and the lips that were smiling a few seconds ago, turned passive in a second.

"…It's because it's with you that it's special. I'm sorry for being the only one who is excited about it. I can see that you don't think so highly of this at all."

Naruto sighed as his heart started kicking him from the inside for the mess his big mouth has done. "Sasuke, I'm sorry. You know I didn't mean it like this. I was looking forward to this day as much as you did; it's just that I haven't told Iruka, yet. And I didn't want him to find out this way."

"He needs to find out sooner or later, it's better that he at least has an idea about it now, I won't feel right if I was attacking his son after all of the trouble he's done in raising you and what Minato-san has done for Itachi."

"Sasuke…why not just forget about everything, everyone, and just kiss me?"

"That sounds like a pretty good deal to me."

"Good, take it."

"With pleasure."

Before Sasuke could start on a kissing spree, he guided Naruto towards the bed, having already memorized the layout of his room in this hotel, and to his surprise, the scent of flowers filled his nostrils and at the chock that left Naruto's mouth, the bed must've been decorated with beautiful flowers only for them. Yes, he thought it was cheesy, but if it made Naruto happy, he would do cheesy. Getting to the side of the bed, he allowed Naruto to push him on the soft petals-filled mattress.

And their battle of kissing started. Naruto released a moan as his tongue met with Sasuke's outside of their mouths, then it disappeared alongside Sasuke's into the raven's mouth. And Naruto played inside the cave he knew so much until he was happy and satisfied. Sasuke's hands worked on Naruto's shirt, unbuttoning it as Naruto allowed the shirt to slide off of his body and into the floor. Sasuke closed his eyes as his own T-shirt was removed out of his body.

Naruto held a gasp of air when Sasuke's mouth met with his earlobe. He didn't know he was sensitive over there, but apparently Sasuke did. The cold hands that were his beloved's, travelled to his chest to fondle a distant nipple, and it was his first time being touched that way. So, Naruto didn't know if the reason he was feeling it so much was because this was his first time having sex and his body was just playing pranks to prepare him or it was because he was doing it with the person he loved. But having his mind clouded with the sweet scent of roses, Naruto decided to focus on feeling rather than interpreting.

Sasuke bit softly on the back of Naruto's neck and left a nice mark over there indicating his property. His left hand itched to move closer to Naruto's pants and his mouth smirked at the bulge that was waiting for him. Slowly, he unzipped the jeans and waited as Naruto hurriedly got rid of them and stumbled on the floor while doing so.

Sasuke released a laugh. "Rushed, aren't we?"

Naruto blushed and got back on the bed with his underwear still on; after all, he wouldn't take the pleasure from Sasuke to undress him fully. "Just shut up."

The raven allowed himself to be pushed into the bed for the second time and fondled Naruto's hardening cock through the fabric of his boxers, indulging himself in the sweet rhythm that was coming from Naruto's mouth. And Sasuke knew he was drunk on love.

So slowly, he started taking the boxers off, and releasing the hardening cock to the air. Sasuke felt his own cock pounce back to life when Naruto started mimicking his moves and bare him of his jeans and boxers. He smirked. Who knew Naruto had all this sexual drive buried inside his body and was only released with the sweet words of 'I love you'. His boy was maturing into a different, sexy person, and Sasuke couldn't be prouder.

Relaxing back onto the soft sheets, Sasuke's fingers pressed hard on the tip of Naruto's cock, he bit the inside of his gum when the desire to see the face of his lover was too great. If everything was alright with his eyes, and it was truly his subconscious forbidding him to see, and the guilt inside his heart alongside his so called atonement, then Sasuke prayed, for just this once, for this moment, this time, he prayed to whatever god up there that was listening to him, to give him is eyes back. To allow him a chance to see Naruto, to see as his love was filled with pleasure that he was the reason for, to see his reason for being alive.

But sadly, no answer to his prayers was given.

Sensing that Sasuke wasn't focusing like he was a few seconds ago, Naruto took hold of the fingers fondling his cock and brought them so suddenly into his mouth. If Sasuke wasn't able to see him, he was going to stamp the sensations on every little muscle in his body. Until Sasuke started seeing this lovely memory without his eyes.

"N-Naruto!"

Hoping that those shows he saw on how to seduce your partner and inflame him during sex pay of, Naruto took the wet fingers and directed them towards his ass, with desire-filled voice he voiced. "There…stretch me…"

Gulping the rush of blood away, Sasuke started playing with his well-educated fingers around Naruto's ass, rejoicing from the gaps that came out when he inserted his index finger inside Naruto's hot cave. The twitching which progressed as he pushed further inside was a nice indication that Naruto was still not feeling any pain, and a nice relief to Sasuke. His right hand found its way back to Naruto's dick as he felt his own being touched with hot fingers. Sasuke didn't try to hide the moan that broke through his mouth and allowed Naruto to have a little taste of his bed voice. Which proved the be a very excellent move for the member in his right hand began hardening causing sweet salty tears to hit his face from the teen straddling his hips.

"Is it good?"

"Mnn…there, Sasuke. That place…" and a chill ran down the sweaty spine.

Sasuke removed his hands away from Naruto and at the groan of objection, explained. "I need to prepare you right, where is the lubricant that we got from Iruka-san?"

Like lightning, Naruto stumbled through his own lust and the bed sheets to the bag he came with and brought out a strawberry-scented lubricant. He pounced back on the bed, careful not to damage his hard dick and gave the lubricant to his love.

"Here, its strawberry flavoured."

"I will have you forget what flavour it is within the next ten minutes."

Naruto 'eeped' as he was flopped on his back with his legs high up in the air and Sasuke's mouth near his entrance. He flushed like crazy at the exposing position he was put in and tried to hide his privates or at least remove Sasuke's face from his ass, but at the commanding dark blind orbs, he stopped and focused only on feeling.

The sensations that floated through his body and the skilled way Sasuke's tongue was roaming inside his asshole in were driving him crazy. His hands found the sheets as he felt his climax near. It was his first time, and he hated how he was about to gum just from having his ass played with.

"S-Sasuke….stop…I'm about…to c-cum…"

"Den cum…" Sasuke spoke with his mouth still on his lover's ass.

Naruto grabbed his cock hard not wanting to cum just yet, but when Sasuke's hand came to squeeze his balls, his grip escaped from him as ecstasy ruled his body and hot milk spread all over his stomach and face. Naruto's flushed face breathed as its owner pulled Sasuke to his side and gave him a big sloppy kiss, in which he could taste his own essence, but it only helped in igniting his sleepy cock to wake up again. Knowing that the man kissing him hadn't still released, Naruto sneaked a tan hand into Sasuke's dick and started thrusting.

"No…Naruto, if you do that, I'll come." Sasuke said taking the hand away from his hard cock.

Naruto felt a pout take over his face. "But I want you to come!"

"I want to come inside you, I don't want to come this way…so, just wait."

Feeling those pale hands come close to his entrance again had Naruto's blush deepening. He gave a last kiss to Sasuke and gave his love permission to do whatever he wanted. Sasuke poured some of the lubricant onto his hands and started rubbing it against the back entrance. He slickly had two fingers inside and started stretching Naruto enjoying the wonderful sounds that came with every move he made. He paused for a while when he sensed a groan of pain escape Naruto's mouth and Kakashi's words on how it's impossible to have sex for the first time, especially anal-sex, without feeling any pain for the other side, came lightening inside his head.

He frowned his brows and said in an encouraging tone. "Bear with it, Naruto. Soon, you're going to feel good…"

"Hmnm…o-okay…"

When he thought that he was doing enough stretching, Sasuke pressed another finger inside and this time Naruto's mouth released a an obvious yelp of pain, Sasuke quickly started playing with the hardening tan cock and Naruto's balls, in order to detour his attention away from the pain and to focus on pleasure. It took a while for Naruto's breathing to even out and for Sasuke to have free movement inside Naruto's asshole, but he had done it.

And from his knowledge, pushing another finger inside would be a bit impossible for Naruto at this point of time so, hoping that the intrusion of his cock into the other's ass didn't stir too much pain, Sasuke laid back on the bed and traced the tan body until he could locate Naruto's nipples. He started biting and playing with them causing happy, passionate tones to replace those pain-filled ones. His right hand went down to Naruto's thigh – finding out that they were his love's weak points beside his nape, and he traced imaginary circles on it; igniting Naruto to the bursting point.

"S-Sasuke…enough…enter me!"

And how much did Sasuke wish to see the face that was pronouncing those words to him. Closing his eyes hard and focusing all his thoughts on making Naruto feel good, Sasuke adjusted their position and had Naruto sit on his hands and knees for this was the best position, as Kakashi has said, to enter a virgin ass.

Lubricating his crazily hard cock, and hoping that it wouldn't hurt Naruto too much, Sasuke was ready to enter. And so he opened his eyes. And so shockingly, he started shaking at the image that was playing on his supposedly blind orbs. It was a hazy start, and he had to blind a few times to clear the fogginess from his lens away, but when it was done, and he was able to adjust to the dim orange-ish light that was lit around the room. Sasuke was met with the most beautiful view that he'd ever seen in his entire life.

The person he gave his heart to was sprayed on his own bed, with his privates totally open for him to see, and with nicely scented petals hugging his tan skin. Naruto's hands were holding tightly to the sheets and he was totally bracing himself for the penetration. Sasuke's mouth twisted into a loving smile. If he was to die right now, he'd die a happy man.

"Sasuke?" Worried eyes glanced momentarily back at him and Sasuke smiled at his love.

"I'm fine. Don't worry."

With that, Sasuke pushed so softly into the hole. The sensation of the head of his hard penis being squeezed was the best. With his lust under control as not to push too hard and hurt Naruto, Sasuke carefully pushed inside. He watched as silent tears fell so lovingly out of Naruto's orbs and he continued to push further, until finally, having the whole of his penis inside. And he was going nuts with the heat.

"Naruto, you alright?"

"Hmmm…j-just a minute…and then move."

And Sasuke understood the pain the other was trying to handle. It was one thing to read and see videos about other people being penetrate and another to have it done to you. Waiting for the signal to move, Sasuke's hand itched to touch, so he began playing with the hard cock that was dangling before his eyes. He heard moans of pleasure escape Naruto's lips and waited for the nod to come. Finally, Naruto exclaimed in a tone that had Sasuke grip so hard on Naruto's cock, threatening to pull it out of its place.

"Now…!"

Thrusting out and thrusting back in, with heat and inflamed passion between them, the two teens allowed themselves a chance to be lost within ecstasy. Sasuke quickened the pace when he felt Naruto's muscles relax and identify his cock as not being a foreign body that needed to be attacked, then started thrusting hard to mark his existence right inside Naruto's walls.

"S-Sasuke…I'm dying!"

The raven changed their position and had Naruto lay on his back, so, he could come face to face with Naruto beautiful flushed features. And what lovely features he missed to see in his former darkness. He smiled when he figured that so far, Naruto had no idea that he was in fact able to see him, or that he so miraculously had his sight back and was showing him his shameful side. Sasuke smirked, burning that sexy face inside his brain and vowing to never ever have it erased.

Naruto reached his hands up and circled them around Sasuke's neck to draw them closer. The sweat with his cum, mingled between their joint stomachs, and when he felt Sasuke begin to play with his cock once more, he felt close to the finish.

"Mnn….aha…Sasuke…"

"I love you…"

Naruto tried to wipe the tears away from his eyes to have a better look at Sasuke's face. But with the speed he was being fucked with, and the soft sheets beneath them that allowed them to friction without having any of them slide off the bed, had that process fail miserably. He just licked his lips and released in a strangled, heavenly choked voice.

"I…love you, too…"

"Good…hmm…"

They continued wrapped in their little world until they finally reached the exclamation point. There was a place, in which through research, Naruto had identified as his own prostate, and every time Sasuke's stone-hard cock would hit him there, Naruto would go on a small trip to the heavens and back. He bit his lips when the accumulation of those thrust was too great for his virgin ass to take and against his will, his body started telling him how close he was to releasing his load.

"Sasu…hnn…ahhh…I'm cumming!"

"Me, too…ah...!"

Naruto was the first to spurt his semen and Sasuke wasn't too fast into exiting Naruto's asshole to free himself, for his white sticky semen was spurted inside Naruto's entrance, filling him to the rim. The exhausted raven flopped on his tan lover in a way that would not suffocate the shorter teen, but would also allow him a close proximity to kiss freely. And he smiled as the musky odour circulated the air around them, reminding them of the dirty act they'd just committed.

"Naruto…stay with me 'till the day I die."

The blond smiled as his lower half went into sleep at being forced to cum twice in one day, and beaming sweetly, he removed sweat-filled, dark locks away from Sasuke's face.

"Is that a proposal, Uchiha?"

"Yes…"

Naruto laughed and gave a chaste kiss to the raven, "Alright then, I guess someone needs to care for your royal ass. And since everyone is scared of you, I will take it upon my tired shoulders to do so."

Sasuke answered the chaste kiss with a deep one of his own, and rolled them on the dirty sheets, with the sound of laughter flowing between them. Feeling genuinely happy that he'd finally achieved what he'd wanted. And got to mark the little fox as his and his only, Sasuke allowed the sound sleep to cover them as he whispered the lovely surprise about his eyes to Naruto and watched his beloved's eyes widen with happiness.

* * *

Sasori opened the shower water on the blond that refused to leave his spot and so angrily stripped him off of his clothes. Sure, Deidara had struggled and gave him the worst treatment ever, but he'd had enough! Since the day he brought him back to his own apartment and told him about the decision Itachi-sama has made concerning him, Deidara was acting like a soulless vessel, and a living dead. He refused to eat, drink, talk and would just lock himself in the room Sasori had made for him, sulking his life away. By now, the redhead was losing his patience, so, he broke the lock and dragged a complaining Deidara to the bathroom to start the first step into rehabilitating a dead. Cleaning him.

"I swear Deidara, if you don't straighten up this moment and start on showering right, I'll clean you off myself!"

Ignoring the man beside him, Deidara only clung to his bare chest as the warm water poured over him.

"That's it!"

Again, he was dragged into the bathtub and his naked body was thrown in there. Rolling his sleeves up, Sasori brought a brush and started scrubbing at the reluctant blond's body. Once more, he was met with resistance, but persistence was always a winner; for Deidara's strength had failed him. He surrendered to Sasori's touches, and was cleaned like a baby, from head to toe, even his private parts were scrubbed, and with a passive face. Sasori brought a towel and wrapped it around the clean man. The blond locks that he adored so much were cleaned as well with a special shampoo that Sasori has picked up especially for Deidara, with honey and cherry scent.

Clean as brand new silverware, Deidara was forced to sit on the floor as Sasori air-dried his hair. It felt nice to have a person do stuff for him for once. But Deidara's heart was still scared, and he couldn't bring himself to do it, to forgive a traitor that betrayed him and even helped into taking him out of the family that he loved so much. He was nothing and, without his family, he was merely Deidara. Who exactly was Deidara? What was Deidara to do? Deidara was a nobody, a piece of shit, a bug, a maggot. A nothing.

"Kill me…please."

Sasori stopped drying the hair as the faint whisper reached his ears passing so softly over the noise from the hairdryer. He pulled the soft looks up and tied Deidara's hair into a high ponytail, making sure no locks stray from the back and aid into hiding the lovely features like their owner preferred they do.

"Deidara, if you seriously don't want your body, or your soul, why not giving them to me? I would very much wish to have them."

Deidara turned his head since his protection was taken away from him and pulled the towel covering his body close to it. "There is no need for you to want them, to want me. I'm nothing. You shouldn't dirty yourself more. Kill me and relieve both of us."

"If I killed you, I would kill myself after you."

"No, you wouldn't."

Sasori took one pale hand and brought it close to his heart. "What can I do? Tell me, how can I make you believe how much you worth to me? If you think of yourself as nothing more than dirt, then what would I be? The one that worships you, what will I be? Am I beneath the dirt?"

Deidara tried to remove his hand because the faint heartbeats under were making him uncomfortable and burning a strange sensation inside his heart, but he failed miserably due to his weak condition.

"Let go."

"Not until you say okay to my request. Give yourself to me if you don't want it."

Deidara stopped his struggling and gave up as a faint whisper escaped his dry lips. "…I don't know…"

And Sasori allowed himself a small smile. "Then stay here with me until you know. You can take as long as you need to stand up on your two feet. And you can go outside, but make sure you come straight here."

"I thought I ceased to be a prisoner."

"You're not a prisoner, consider this your house. Where will you return to if not your house?"

"This is not my house. My house is on the estate!"

"You're disowned, it's about time you come in terms with this and learn to let go of something you can't have."

"I'll learn that when you learn how to let go of me."

Sasori released a small smile at the words and stood making his way towards his tiny kitchen to prepare something for Deidara to digest seeing as how he was returning to his old nature little by little.

"Hn."

* * *

"This is extremely stupid, Naruto." An annoyed looking Sasuke released within clenched teeth.

"Yes, for once, I agree with him." Backed up Sakura.

The blond just rolled his eyes at his love and his best friend and pointed an accusing finger to the pink haired. "Sakura! Wasn't it you who said you'll put in effort to try and concede with Sasuke?"

Sakura puffed her cheeks turning the other way and whispered. "Yeah…but-"

"No buts! And you, Sasuke, didn't you tell me earlier that you wanted to try and get along well with Sakura and forget all about this stupid jealousy you're having!?"

"I deny every syllable in that whole sentence."

"Sasuke!" The blue-eyed teen warned, "Stop acting like a child! Man up to what you've said."

Crossing both his arms at his chest, the raven looked at the love of his life with the intent to kill flaming in his eyes. "Hn."

Naruto sighed and sat back down on the cozy little table that he worked so hard to secure – with forcing Iruka to contact an old boyfriend which didn't make Kakashi too excited about the idea. But it was all because he wanted his two friends to get along together, for all the hardships and the awfulness including Sasuke's stupid jealousy to evaporate. And therefore, being able to hold a conversation with one without having the other mad at him for something.

"Alright, listen here you two, I'm sick and tired of this! If I hang out with one of you and neglect the other, the one I'm neglecting will be mad at me. And I'm very exhausted with apologizing each and every time I do something like this! So, whatever unfinished business you two may have, you better work them out now! Or keep me out of your fucking business!"

Naruto waited for one of them to open his or her mouth, but when neither did and only the happy laughs from the customers sitting on nearby tables reached his ears, Naruto stood up and swung his backpack over his shoulder.

"Seeing as how stubborn you two wish to be, I'm declaring from now on two things. A, I will not be talking to either of you 'till you start working this one out, and B, which is for you Sasuke, no _SEX,_ again, 'till you make up with Sakura, and now, I'll leave you to yourselves. And don't you dare follow me Uchiha or I swear the only thing you'll be touching for the upcoming three months, will be my fists!"

Sasuke frowned at the words being spoken to him and his eyes glared daggers at the love of his life, as he watched his stroll outside full of anger. He sighed and picked up himself wanting to leave.

"Where the hell do you think you're going?"

"None of your business."

"Oh yes mister, it is one of my business! Even if you don't care if you talk to him or get a piece of his ass, I do, for the first part at least. So, like it or not, I'm going to do my part into trying to work this thing out, because as much as I dislike you, I love Naruto, and the last thing I'll want to do is lose him because of you."

The fire inside her eyes had him rethink the words Naruto had just blubbered out and believing that maybe the love of his life wasn't just releasing empty threads, like he normally did.

"I'll sit if you promise me one thing,"

"What, Ass?"

"I want you to never, ever, think of Naruto as a love interest. And it has nothing to do with me trusting him. This is a pact between you and I. If you wished to ever be on my good side and for us to at least act like we're civilized human beings before him, you will agree."

"Hm. I never thought of him that way. Naruto is like my brother, besides, he is younger than me by two months. I'll never fall in love with a younger dude."

"Promise me."

Sakura rolled her eyes at the prick in front of her, and having only the best interest of Naruto inside her mind, she released sincere words.

"I promise. Now, sit."

And smiling to her for the first time in his life with no malice, Sasuke took his seat and waited for the girl that he still thought of as annoying as hell, to blubber about the one hundred reasons why she didn't fancy him. And he put up with it, for the sake of those lovely azure orbs, which would surely cry if he didn't.

* * *

Itachi removed a lock of hair away from his red pupils and watched with calm eyes the headstone that shone to him in bright day light. His dead heart released a gush of blood that he failed to identify. Was he still, after all of these years, hoping for something? Didn't he vow to never feel again after that phone call telling him that the nice guy that took care of him had perished in a fire? Was his heart finally reacting to an old friend? An old love? Was he turning human again?

He used his genius head for answers, but he could only guess on the foreign gush of blood. His cold fingers traced the faint writing, yes; it was indeed the grave of Minato. And the small, tiny hope that he'd had that Minato was still alive somewhere in this vast world was crushed so outrageously. His mouth released a smile and he nodded for the guards beside him to give him some space.

Putting aside his position and titles and returning to the humble being he used to be, Itachi sat on the green grass and opened his lips, releasing a strained voice. "Hello, old friend. It's been a long time. I'm doing well, as you've wanted me to do all of these years. I see the time hasn't been as nice to you as it was to me."

The wind was his only witness and Itachi loved the privacy. He swallowed the lump in his throat as the memories that were helping him build himself from the sewers Danzo has so shamefully driven him into, came to form at the front of his head.

"I had made a vow to myself, to come see you as soon as I had the chance, but I had failed myself in that notion. I, so disgracefully, admit that I have been afraid. Not of you, but of myself, of the weak being I'll turn into if I were to ever see you again. But those are all mere excuses. I should have come before that unfortunate accident happens to you. I will never forgive myself for that."

A chirping bird started conversing with his fellow bird, and their melody played to assure Itachi that all was still well with the world, that even though he was feeling so much guilt and sorrow, the world was turning and nothing has changed. And in a twisted way, it comforted him to a degree.

"I know you only viewed me as a child in need and thus had helped me, but to me, you were something more. And I still admit that those feelings I failed to convey to you are weighing on my heart. I wish I had told you about them, then maybe something might have changed. But being the coward I was, I was too weak and of no value to be able to hold your pains and steady you, so I couldn't tell you of the silly emotions flowing through my veins. But now, I have grown up from those absurd thoughts and 'm able to retain myself and compose these emotions to be hidden quite well. Until the day we meet again, I bide you farewell my sorrowful love."

Standing up straight, Itachi pulled the ribbon that his hair was tied with and tied it around the headstone. Watching as it proudly swayed with the wind, he said. "I had bought this with the money I'd earned from the first part time job that you'd introduced me to. I'd meant to give it to you, but…" recalling back on that night that he was so happily running to give the man he adored a gift saying 'thank you' for all the things he'd done for him, and so shockingly finding him weeping whilst looking at his dead wife's picture had Itachi leave his sentence without a finish and simply smile as a goodbye to the grave.

"I'll come back again."

The three guards that have left their master came back surrounding him again. Itachi sent a farewell glance to the grave and walked into the car. Already thinking it was best that he didn't come with the blond, because he couldn't think he'd be able to stay composed if Naruto started telling him how he thinks he'll be extremely well fitted with his father, or how in fact, his father had spared a thought or two for Itachi's sake when he was gone.

He knew the limit to his self-control, and it didn't stretch that far.

So, with a tug to his silky, black hair that was spread all over his lean back now, Itachi slid inside his car and signalled his driver to start on taking him back home. Memories locked safely and returned to the back of his head, where they slept peacefully until the next time their master decided he needed to reminisce on the sweet past for a minute or two.

* * *

Naruto wiped the drool that escaped his lips rendering him exposed to those sexy orbs that were so full of ego at the moment. He blushed when Sasuke licked his lips and swayed over to him in that sexy suite that just made all the blood rush down to Naruto's lower half, and with graceful, well-educated fingers, the tie around his neck was tightened as Sasuke refused to give his lover the satisfaction of a kiss and left him hanging in thin air.

Naruto frustrated, watched the playful smirk plaster all over Sasuke pink lips, he licked his own anticipating that moment when they would meet Sasuke's. As Sasuke started moving away without giving the blond any form of indication that he was going to do any further touching besides the tying, Naruto pulled the suit-clothed pale forearm and yanked Sasuke close.

"Sasuke…" He breathed as his lips were only inches away from Sasuke's, "you're killing me!"

"Hmm…who was it that said I should be keeping myself away from his ass if I didn't make up with his best friend?" Sasuke had the reply ready.

Naruto winced at the remark that he knew would surely come to haunt him soon, and started explaining as best as he could with the pushing self that he'd recently discovered as a part of his personality.

"I wanted you two to get along, and Sakura says you've worked out everything out together…so."

"So?" Sasuke's smirk only widened at the flushed face, that seemed to get redder each passing minute, if he'd known that Naruto's sexual drive was ignited with a mere suit, he'd have worn it from day one.

Looking away from those questioning, urging, and burning black eyes, Naruto forced his lust to subside and his self-control and reason to kick back in.

"So...oh, Sasuke! Do you want me to spell it out for you?!"

"You want me to fuck you?" Sasuke released in a hot, hoarse tone that sent chills down Naruto's spine, and before his lovely blond hair nods a firm yes, Sasuke removed the tan hand so smoothly away from his forearm and whispered. "No can do, babe. You'll have to deal with that bulge down there on your own because I have a book signing to go to."

And a chuckling Sasuke left a very unsatisfied Naruto sitting with a dumbfounded look on his angelic features.

It was another fifteen minutes 'till a clean and refreshed looking Naruto was out from the royal bathroom that was on Sasuke's house. He fixed his suit firmly and walked with a pout meeting a very amused raven. Sulking at being stood up in such a condition, Naruto strolled directly into the car ignoring the small laugh that broke out of his love's mouth as he passed him to the car.

"Naruto."

"Shut up, go die, I don't ever want to talk to you!"

Sasuke rolled his eyes at the drama king sitting a few inches away from him. Actually, he would've loved nothing more than to actually fuck Naruto, no, not just fuck, stir, mix, and mingle his sperms inside Naruto's hot ass' walls. Just the mere thought of Naruto panting under him in ecstasy would have him orgasming, but he couldn't do this to Naruto's father, Iruka. They had to attend this special occasion, because as far as he learned from Kakashi, the brown haired man had everything figured out – surprising Sasuke that there was actually a person with Naruto that didn't get infected with his love's stupidity-genes, and if he needed the total approval of Iruka, he'd have to prove to him that he was worthy of his son. And Sasuke's competitive spirit would prefer to die over losing this challenge!

Therefore, he couldn't afford being late on this special occasion, that will surely score him points in the older male's hoop.

"Naru-chan."

"Stop calling me that! I hate it! And don't talk to me!"

Sighing at the hard-headed teen that refused to see how hard Sasuke was trying to secure their relationship, the raven inched closer, after raising the dark glass to separate himself and Naruto from the chuffer responsible for delivering them safely to the event.

"I love you."

Naruto ignored his stupid heart that acutely so stupidly, without pride or any sense of self-centeredness flittered to Sasuke's words. Proving how Sasuke got his stupid heart shackled to his every command. Naruto puffed his cheeks and turned the other way, wishing his own stupid heart to cease existing.

"I love you…"

Hating himself for doing it, Naruto's blue orbs momentarily glanced at the man calling them, and it was a fatal mistake, for his heart exploded with love and pumped it into his circulation clouding his judgment with the sweet drowning that Sakura had talked about how nice it was.

"Come to me."

Tan hands obeyed as Sasuke's pale ones brought them closer and small kisses were given to their back. Naruto felt himself flush lightly and, with his heart in his throat, he watched sexy-Sasuke play his magic on him, and allowed himself the chance to dim the world and focus only on the tiger that was about to pounce at his lips in any minute now; Naruto closed his eyes.

It was sweet. Sweet, delicious passion, blended with frenzied desire. Sasuke grinned when the kissing lessons he tried so hard to imprint on Naruto had finally bore him fruit. He relaxed into the seat and allowed the light tan body to cradle his hips. Being careful as not to rub any unwanted areas and cause erection to either of them, leading to car-sex, he adjusted Naruto's position.

The chuffer ignored the moans and groans coming from the back and played some music as to distract himself and maintain a professional exterior. Taking three turns to shorten the distance and spare himself the traffic, he proudly and happily exclaimed, interrupting the two's joy.

"Master, we've arrived!" Having no response to his sentence, the chuffer took hold of the car-microphone and repeated his words through it, hoping for the two teens to awake from their little melody-land, "Sirs, we've arrived."

Sasuke removed the hazy looking blond away from his lips and sighed in relief when their clothes weren't awfully rattled. No erections were present either. Naruto on the other hand had to take a few more minutes to switch back to reality and remember where he currently was. Wincing that his sex drive had only chose to elevate at his guardian's important date, he knew that he'd have to start teaching his lower half before he forces Sasuke to take him regardless of where they were. For the last thing he needed right now was a teenage-scandal.

They exited the grand limousine and Naruto had to brace himself at the crowed of people crowding the fancy hall. With a big, fat, happy grin plastered all over his mouth, he walked with confidence into the hall with Sasuke following right behind him.

* * *

Kakashi flipped the fried salmon on the fryer and grinned at the steam that evolved. He instructed a distracted looking Naruto to focus on the tomatoes he was cutting before he starts cutting his own fingers. Naruto only sighed in answer.

"What the hell are they still talking about?!"

"Your sex-life, of course."

"Kakashi!"

"What do you want me to say? Iruka obviously only wants to make sure that Sasuke's feelings towards you are genuine. He doesn't want you to get hurt."

"I know, but…didn't he tell you anything? Is he okay about me dating a guy?"

"Well," Putting the done fish on a plate with tissues in it to absorb the oil, Kakashi replied. "Not really, he was pissed that you've started dating without telling him first."

"So…he didn't tell you if he objected on the fact that the one I'm dating is a guy? Or that he started blaming himself that he was a bad influence on me? Or is he thinking about committing suicide for it?"

"Easy, easy, imagination-boy. Iruka is alright; he was just, like I said earlier, angry. No self-loathing, no suicidal thinking, nothing. So, relax. But yes, I do think a part of him is blaming himself that he'd turned out to be a bad effect on you. But, I, myself don't see a problem with it. You have a brain inside your skull, you are able to think and choose your own happiness, and if it was in you being with a guy, so be it."

Naruto released a truly gratified smile. "Thank you."

"There's no need, I said what I think. Now, go set the table once you finish with the tomatoes, because with the speed we're going with, it will not be dinner, but early breakfast."

Nodding with a smile, the tan fingers started on cutting. The book signing was a complete success; it provided Naruto a chance to see what his guardian's work was, and the book that was produced was one of Iruka's best. Seeing all of those people coming to see the author and ask for his signature whilst talking about how wonderful the book was, made Naruto more proud of his father than he already was. They had decided after the book signing was over and some pictures have been taken that it would be best to end this nice night with a homemade dinner, Kakashi's idea. And it provided the best chance for Iruka to have a proper conversation with this raven that took his son's heart and mind.

Naruto arranged the tomatoes he'd cut with the rest of the vegetables and with sesame oil on a plate and went to set the table for four. Feeling happiness wash over him that finally everything was working alright. The door to Iruka's study cracked open and a tired looking brunette exited followed by a smiling raven.

"Naruto, is dinner set, yet?"

"Almost, Kakashi is doing the final touches on the plates."

Iruka nodded and patted his son on the head as he passed him to the kitchen to see his boyfriend and what type of disaster his kitchen was turned into.

As soon as Iruka was out of hearing reach, Naruto pounced on the raven demanding answers. "So? What did he say? Does he approve? Did he attack you? No, Iruka wouldn't do that…but, did he say we should break up?"

"For a start, just calm down. He didn't attack me, nor did he ask that we break up. In fact, he was very understanding. He told me about the hardships that we will be facing and about if I was prepared for this or not. Actually, he was more concerned than anything else. And I liked that…it felt like…" Sasuke smiled softly. "Like family."

Naruto's eyes softened and he gave him boyfriend a tight hug. "We are family, Sasuke. And we'll continue 'till you get sick of me!"

"I'll never get sick of you. I'm very possessive, and once I like something, I never get tired of it."

"Well, that's nice to hear. Since I don't tend to let go easily, either."

"Yeah, tell me about it. I still remember how you decided to sneak into my room and rape me that other night."

Naruto pulled out of the hug with a small flush on his face. He hit the raven briefly as his hands continued setting up the table. "Hey! I didn't want to rape you! I wanted to nock some sense into you."

"With the way you were jumping me, you could've fooled me."

"A-Anyway, go see if Kakashi was finished with the dishes, I'm starving!"

With a smile that had signalled Sasuke's soul being peaceful at last, the raven left to the kitchen to check on the disastrous food they were going to devour. And the dark, empty, hollow future, that he'd imagined himself leading, exploded into a sun-filled, joy accompanied, ecstatic heaven that he found himself wanting to reach.

Finally.

* * *

**T_T It makes me so sad to see this story ends, but it has to. For every beginning needs an ending. I'll be waiting to see what you think about it. Thanks to all of you who had read, favorite, followed, reviewed and truly enjoyed this story. I really love you, guys. And will be waiting for your support in my future fics. Thank you!**


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